Originally published in 1897, ¿Thirty Years a Slave¿ is a first person account of life as a slave written by Louis Hughes (1832¿1913), an American-born slave belonging to a plantation owner in Charlottesville, Virginia. Having learned to read and write in secret, Hughes wrote this memoir and later became a successful businessman. ¿Thirty Years a Slave¿ offers a glimpse into the harrowing life of American slaves in the nineteenth century and is highly recommended for those wishing to learn about this dark chapter of American history. Contents include: ¿Life on a Cotton Plantation¿, ¿Social and Other Aspects of Slavery¿, ¿Slavery and the War of the Rebellion¿, ¿Rebellion Weakening, Slaves' Hopes Strengthening¿, and ¿Freedom after Slavery¿. Read & Co. History is republishing this classic autobiography now in a new addition complete with an introductory chapter by Frederick Douglass.