Cover of Narrative of the Life of Moses Grandy

This is the cover of an 1844 edition of Narrative of the Life of Moses Grandy, published in Boston. Grandy was an enslaved, illiterate man who narrated the story of his life to George Thompson, a London abolitionist. Thompson's transcription was first published as a book in England in 1843.

At the bottom of the cover it states, "Sold for the benefit of his relations still in slavery." Grandy used the proceeds from his book sales to purchase freedom for his relatives. At the back of this edition there is a postscript dated January 19, 1844, from Boston. In it, Grandy notes that he has already spent $1,850 to purchase his own freedom, $300 for his wife's, $450 for his son's, $400 for his grandchild's, and $60 "to redeem my kidnapped son." In addition, he says that he is trying to raise $100 to purchase freedom for his sister Mary, who is still enslaved in North Carolina.

Citation: Narrative of the Life of Moses Grandy, E444 .G72 1844. Special Collections, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA