Lunsford Lane

author

Lunsford Lane

1803–1879

Born into slavery in Raleigh, North Carolina, he worked his way to freedom for himself and his family, then turned his life story into a powerful case against slavery. His memoir remains a vivid account of ambition, endurance, and courage.

1 Audiobook

The Narrative of Lunsford Lane, Formerly of Raleigh, N.C. Embracing an account of his early life, the redemption by purchase of himself and family from slavery, and his banishment from the place of his birth for the crime of wearing a colored skin

The Narrative of Lunsford Lane, Formerly of Raleigh, N.C. Embracing an account of his early life, the redemption by purchase of himself and family from slavery, and his banishment from the place of his birth for the crime of wearing a colored skin

by Lunsford Lane

About the author

Born on May 30, 1803, in Raleigh, North Carolina, Lunsford Lane was enslaved from birth. As a young man, he found ways to earn money through small business ventures, especially in tobacco, and eventually bought his own freedom in 1835. He later secured the freedom of his wife and children as well.

Even after becoming free, Lane faced violent threats and pressure to leave North Carolina. He moved north and became a lecturer in the antislavery movement, speaking in places such as Massachusetts and sharing firsthand testimony about slavery and freedom.

In 1842, he published The Narrative of Lunsford Lane, an autobiography that told the story of his life, his efforts to redeem his family, and the injustice he endured. He died on June 27, 1879, and is remembered as an entrepreneur, abolitionist, and one of the important Black voices to leave a written record of slavery in the United States.