The Autobiography of William Sanders Scarborough: An American Journey from Slavery to Scholarship (African American Life) [Hardcover]

W. S. Scarborough (Author), Michele Valerie Ronnick (Editor), Henry Louis, Jr. Gates (Foreword)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0814332242 | ISBN-13: 978-0814332245 | Publication Date: November 2004

An important autobiography that reveals the story of William Sanders Scarborough who rose out of slavery to become a renowned classical philologist and African American icon.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

This illuminating autobiography traces Scarborough’s path out of slavery in Macon, Georgia, to a prolific scholarly career that culminated with his presidency of Wilberforce University. Despite the racism he met as he struggled to establish a place in higher education for African Americans, Scarborough was an exemplary scholar, particularly in the field of classical studies. He was the first African American member of the Modern Language Association, a forty-four-year member of the American Philological Association, and a true champion of higher education. Scarborough advocated the reading, writing, and teaching of liberal arts at a time when illiteracy was rampant due to slavery’s legacy, white supremacists were dismissing the intellectual capability of blacks, and Booker T. Washington was urging African Americans to focus on industrial skills and training.

The Autobiography of William Sanders Scarborough is a valuable historical record of the life and work of a pioneer who helped formalize the intellectual tradition of the black scholar. Michele Valerie Ronnick contextualizes Scarborough’s narrative through extensive notes and by exploring a wide variety of sources such as census records, church registries, period newspapers, and military and university records. This book is indispensable to anyone interested in the history of intellectual endeavor in America, Africana studies and classical studies, in particular, as well as those familiar with the associations and institutions that welcomed and valued Scarborough.

About the Author

Michele Valerie Ronnick is associate professor of Greek and Latin at Wayne State University.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 425 pages
• Publisher: Wayne State University Press (November 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0814332242
• ISBN-13: 978-0814332245
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.3 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,309,471 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Enlightening Autobiography, January 7, 2006

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SEG (Lake Charles, LA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Autobiography of William Sanders Scarborough: An American Journey from Slavery to Scholarship (African American Life) (Hardcover)

This is an inspiring autobiography of one of the most successful African-American educators of his time. From about 1875-1925 Scarborough taught Greeek and Latin, mostly at Wilberforce University, where he eventually became President of the university. Scarborough gives an interesting and heartfelt account of his endeavors in education, classical literature, and the promotion of his race and faith. The book should interest the general reader, as well as professional classicists and historians.