Cover of The Education of the Negro Prior to 1861 A History of the Education of the Colored People of the United States from the Beginning of Slavery to the Civil War

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The Education of the Negro Prior to 1861 A History of the Education of the Colored People of the United States from the Beginning of Slavery to the Civil War

by Carter Godwin Woodson

Read The Education of the Negro Prior to 1861 A History of the Education of the Colored People of the United States from the Beginning of Slavery to the Civil War by Carter Godwin Woodson in English, with complete text and saved reading progress.

9 hr estimatedB2–C1 Linden levelRead now availability69 chapters

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About this book

The Education of the Negro Prior to 1861 A History of the Education of the Colored People of the United States from the Beginning of Slavery to the Civil War is available in the Project Gutenberg source edition credited to Carter Godwin Woodson. Catalog subjects include African Americans -- Education. This edition retains the source text, including any introductory material and notes.

First published
Unknown year
Language
English
Copyright status
Public domain

English level

B2–C1 · Deep reading

The Education of the Negro Prior to 1861 A History of the Education of the Colored People of the United States from the Beginning of Slavery to the Civil War is calibrated from 34,780 sampled words across 69 chapters: sentences average 20.5 words, 33.5% exceed 24 words and 12.3% of words are nine letters or longer.

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Sentence rhythm

What the prose asks

Medium-length sentences averaging 20.5 words, with 33.5% extending beyond 24 words

Vocabulary

What may slow you down

12.3% of sampled words contain nine or more letters; names and period vocabulary still vary by chapter

Reading rhythm

Medium commitment

Many short stopping points support flexible sessions. About 18 calm 30-minute sessions.

Suggested approach

Read with momentum

Read in planned sessions and keep short notes on claims, evidence and changes in voice

Best starting point

Begin with chapter one

The full text is ready with speech, lookup and saved progress.

CEFR-aligned Linden estimate · high confidence · sampled full text · Calibrated 2026-09-08 · Provisional, not an exam certification.

Table of contents

69 chapters

  1. 01PREFACE2 min
  2. 02CHAPTER I17 min
  3. 03CHAPTER II34 min
  4. 04CHAPTER III23 min
  5. 05CHAPTER IV25 min
  6. 06CHAPTER V32 min
  7. 07CHAPTER VI19 min
  8. 08CHAPTER VII30 min
  9. 09CHAPTER VIII8 min
  10. 10CHAPTER IX27 min
  11. 11CHAPTER X31 min
  12. 12CHAPTER XI19 min
  13. 13CHAPTER XII27 min
  14. 14CHAPTER XIII16 min
  15. 15APPENDIX5 min
  16. 16A PROPOSITION FOR ENCOURAGING THE CHRISTIAN EDUCATION OF INDIAN, NEGRO, AND MULATTO CHILDREN AT LAMBETH, VIRGINIA, 17242 min
  17. 17PASTORAL LETTER OF BISHOP GIBSON OF LONDON3 min
  18. 18ANOTHER PASTORAL LETTER OF BISHOP GIBSON OF LONDON2 min
  19. 19AN EXTRACT FROM A SERMON PREACHED BY BISHOP SECKER OF LONDON IN 17412 min
  20. 20EXTRACTS FROM THE SERMONS OF REV. THOMAS BACON ADDRESSED TO MASTERS AND SERVANTS ABOUT 17509 min
  21. 21EXTRACT FROM THE APPENDIX OF BENJAMIN FAWCETT'S "ADDRESS TO THE CHRISTIAN NEGROES IN VIRGINIA"6 min
  22. 22EXTRACT FROM JONATHAN BOUCHER'S "A VIEW OF THE CAUSES AND CONSEQUENCES OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION"(1763)2 min
  23. 23BOUCHER ON AMERICAN EDUCATION IN 17732 min
  24. 24A PORTION OF AN ESSAY OF BISHOP PORTEUS TOWARD A PLAN FOR THE MORE EFFECTUAL CIVILIZATION AND CONVERSION OF THE NEGRO SLAVES ON THE TRENT ESTATE IN BARBADOES BELONGING TO THE SOCIETY FOR THE PROPAGATION OF THE GOSPEL IN FOREIGN PARTS. (WRITTEN IN 1784)7 min
  25. 25EXTRACT FROM "THE ACTS OF DR. BRAY'S VISITATION HELD AT ANNAPOLIS IN MARYLAND, MAY 23, 24, 25, ANNO 1700"2 min
  26. 26EXTRACTS FROM THE MINUTES OF THE MEETINGS OF THE SOCIETY OF FRIENDS….2 min
  27. 27FROM THE MINUTES OF THE YEARLY MEETING OF THE FRIENDS OF PHILADELPHIA AND NEW JERSEY, 17792 min
  28. 28FROM THE MINUTES OF THE QUARTERLY MEETING OF THE FRIENDS OF CHESTER2 min
  29. 29FROM THE MINUTES OF THE YEARLY MEETING OF THE FRIENDS OF VIRGINIA IN 1757 AND 17732 min
  30. 30EXTRACT FROM THE MINUTES OF THE METHODIST CONFERENCE, 17852 min
  31. 31A PORTION OF AN ACT OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN 1800.2 min
  32. 32AN ACT OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN 18012 min
  33. 33PLAN FOR IMPROVING THE CONDITION OF THE FREE BLACKS2 min
  34. 34EXTRACT FROM THE "ADDRESS OF THE AMERICAN CONVENTION OF DELEGATES FROM THE ABOLITION SOCIETIES, 1795"2 min
  35. 35A PORTION OF THE "ADDRESS OF THE AMERICAN CONVENTION OF DELEGATES TO THE FREE AFRICANS AND OTHER FREE PEOPLE OF COLOR, 1796"2 min
  36. 36A PORTION OF THE ADDRESS TO THE FREE PEOPLE OF COLOR BY THE AMERICAN CONVENTION FOR PROMOTING THE ABOLITION OF SLAVERY, 18192 min
  37. 37THE WILL OF KOSCIUSZKO2 min
  38. 38FROM WASHINGTON'S WILL2 min
  39. 39THIS INTERESTING DIALOGUE WAS WRITTEN BY AN AMERICAN ABOUT 18005 min
  40. 40A TRUE ACCOUNT OF A PIOUS NEGRO3 min
  41. 41LETTER TO ABBÉ GRÉGOIRE, OF PARIS, 18092 min
  42. 42PORTION OF JEFFERSON'S LETTER TO M.A. JULIEN, JULY 23, 18182 min
  43. 43FROM MADISON'S LETTER TO MISS FRANCES WRIGHT, SEPTEMBER 1, 18252 min
  44. 44FROM FREDERICK DOUGLASS'S PAPER, 1853: "LEARN TRADES OR STARVE"4 min
  45. 45EDUCATION OF COLORED PEOPLE4 min
  46. 46FROM A MEMORIAL TO THE LEGISLATURE OF NORTH CAROLINA, CIRCULATED AMONG THE CITIZENS OF THAT STATE IN 1855, TO SECURE THE MODIFICATION OF CERTAIN LAWS REGULATING SLAVES AND FREE PERSONS OF COLOR.2 min
  47. 47A LAWYER FOR LIBERIA2 min
  48. 48STATE OF MARYLAND,2 min
  49. 49BIBLIOGRAPHY4 min
  50. 50BOOKS OF TRAVEL BY FOREIGNERS5 min
  51. 51LETTERS2 min
  52. 52BIOGRAPHIES2 min
  53. 53AUTOBIOGRAPHIES2 min
  54. 54GENERAL HISTORIES2 min
  55. 55STATE HISTORIES2 min
  56. 56CHURCH HISTORIES2 min
  57. 57SERMONS, ORATIONS, ADDRESSES3 min
  58. 58REPORTS ON THE EDUCATION OF THE COLORED PEOPLE2 min
  59. 59STATISTICS2 min
  60. 60CHURCH REPORTS2 min
  61. 61REPORTS OF THE AMERICAN CONVENTION, 1794-18314 min
  62. 62REPORTS OF ANTI-SLAVERY SOCIETIES2 min
  63. 63REPORTS OF COLONIZATION SOCIETIES2 min
  64. 64MISCELLANEOUS BOOKS AND PAMPHLETS14 min
  65. 65MAGAZINES2 min
  66. 66NEWSPAPERS2 min
  67. 67LAWS, DIGESTS, CHARTERS, CONSTITUTIONS, AND REPORTS2 min
  68. 68STATE3 min
  69. 69INDEX27 min
Commemorative illustration for Carter Godwin Woodson; not a historical portrait

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