Be the Historian!

How did the account reach the reader?

One of the first things that historians do when they encounter a text, such as a personal account, is to read the title page closely if it is available. The information on a title page can provide important clues about the origin of the account and how it reached the reader.


The Task:
In this exercise, examine the title page from Olaudah Equiano’s 1789 slave narrative. Then, select the phrase that you think provides the most important information about the author, the audience, and how the account reached the reader. Finally, compare your answers to others and read a historian's commentary.


Complete the task