"NO HUMAN POWER CAN TURN BACK THE REVOLUTION BEGUN": 1863 FIRST EDITION OF HAWKINS' BIOGRAPHY OF LUNSFORD LANE

(LANE, Lunsford) HAWKINS, William G., Rev. Lunsford Lane; or, Another Helper from North Carolina. Boston: Crosby & Nichols, 1863. Octavo, original brown cloth. $900.

First edition of Hawkins' inspiring Civil War-era biography of Lunsford Lane, a man born a slave, who managed, over decades of entrepreneurship, to buy freedom for himself, his wife, and their children—despite both legal and violent vigilante opposition. In the original cloth, with lithographed frontispiece portrait of Lane.

Lunsford Lane was born into slavery and eventually earned enough money to buy freedom for himself, his wife, and their children. In 1842 Lane published his own memoir, which was well-received and went through several editions: 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 work also features a lengthy Civil War-era digression on the formation of black "contraband" regiments, including the celebrated Massachusetts 54th, and the loss of Col. Shaw and many of his men in the assault on Fort Wagner. Interestingly, while the author of the present work is William Hawkins, the copyright is in Lane's name, indicating that proceeds of the sale of Hawkins' biography likely went to Lane. Sabin 30961. Work, 354. Library stamp on front pastedown, overstamped "withdrawn," and erased from title page; evidence of circulation slip on rear free endpaper.

Interior generally clean, light wear to head of slightly toned spine. An extremely good copy in the original cloth.