The Civil Wars of Jacob D. Green

This seed grant will fund research and grant applications for a book project, "The Civil Wars of Jacob D. Green," which explores the social, political, existential, critical theoretical and literary dimensions of this formerly enslaved American's struggles as a freedom fighter, abolitionist and antiracist speaker. The main output will be a book, public-facing articles and collaborations across disciplines at ASU and internationally. Green was born enslaved in Maryland, rebelled repeatedly, sojourned in Canada and lectured in England from 1863 until his 1866 death. His 1864 autobiography is an extraordinary literary achievement, but much of Green's life remains a mystery.