Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass: The Story Behind an American Friendship

Description Newbery Medal winner Russell Freedman recounts Abraham Lincoln’s brief friendship with African American leader Frederick Douglass narrated against the backdrop of Civil War-era race relations and politics. Includes 70 archival photographs. From the author of Lincoln: A Photobiography comes a clear-sighted carefully researched account of two surprisingly parallel lives and how they intersected at a critical moment in U.S. history. Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass were both self-taught both great readers and believers in the importance of literacy both men born poor who by their own efforts reached positions of power and prominence–Lincoln as president of the United States and Douglass as the most famous and influential African American of his time. Though their meetings were few and brief their exchange of ideas helped to end the Civil War reunite the nation and abolish slavery. – publisher Includes bibliography source notes and index. Paperback Interest level – middle grade Reading level – 8.3 Ages 10-12