FREDERICK DOUGLASS From Slave to Statesman

Alice Fleming's story opens with an incident that took place when Frederick Douglass was a 15-year-old slave hired out to a cruel farmer, Edward Covey, who inflicted daily beatings on the young man. After six months of abuse, Douglass fought back, finding the courage to reclaim his spirit and beginning his journey from slave to statesman. Roscoe Orman's performance is spellbinding. His deep, melodious voice has authority and credibility as he relates the inhumanity of slavery and the hypocrisy of white abolitionists speaking out against slavery while still viewing blacks as less than equals. The only weakness in the production is the way notes are inserted—introduced by a tone and then read by an obviously white voice that sounds measured and condescending. N.E.M. © AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine [Published: MAY 2009]