''Frank Freeman's Barber Shop'' is an

1852 Events January–March * January 14 – President Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte proclaims a new constitution for the French Second Republic. * January 15 – Nine men representing various Jewish charitable organizations come tog ...

plantation fiction novel written by

Baynard Rush Hall Baynard Rush Hall (1793-1863) was an American academic and Christian minister. A native of Pennsylvania, he served churches and academic institutions in the East for most of his life. However, he was a resident of Indiana for several years, d ...

Overview

''Frank Freeman's Barber Shop'' is an example of the numerous anti-Tom novels produced in the

southern United States The Southern United States (sometimes Dixie, also referred to as the Southern States, the American South, the Southland, or simply the South) is a geographic and cultural region of the United States of America. It is between the Atlantic Ocean ...

in response to the publication of '' Uncle Tom's Cabin'' by

Harriet Beecher Stowe Harriet Elisabeth Beecher Stowe (; June 14, 1811 – July 1, 1896) was an American author and abolitionist. She came from the religious Beecher family and became best known for her novel ''Uncle Tom's Cabin'' (1852), which depicts the harsh ...

, which was criticised as inaccurately depicting plantation life as well as the relationship between slaveholders and their slaves. Hall's novel is among the earliest examples of the genre, and focuses on criticisms of

abolitionism Abolitionism, or the abolitionist movement, is the movement to end slavery. In Western Europe and the Americas, abolitionism was a historic movement that sought to end the Atlantic slave trade and liberate the enslaved people. The Britis ...

and how it can be exploited – a concept later visited in ''

The Planter's Northern Bride ''The Planter's Northern Bride'' is an 1854 novel written by Caroline Lee Hentz, in response to the publication of ''Uncle Tom's Cabin'' by Harriet Beecher Stowe in 1852. Overview Unlike other examples of anti-Tom literature (aka "plantation ...

'' by Caroline Lee Hentz (

1854 Events January–March * January 4 – The McDonald Islands are discovered by Captain William McDonald aboard the ''Samarang''. * January 6 – The fictional detective Sherlock Holmes is perhaps born. * January 9 – The Teut ...

Plot

The story focuses on a slave named Frank (later Frank Freeman), who is convinced to run away from his peaceful life on a Southern plantation by "

philanthropists Philanthropy is a form of altruism that consists of "private initiatives, for the Public good (economics), public good, focusing on quality of life". Philanthropy contrasts with business initiatives, which are private initiatives for private goo ...

" (Hall's term for

abolitionists Abolitionism, or the abolitionist movement, is the movement to end slavery. In Western Europe and the Americas, abolitionism was a historic movement that sought to end the Atlantic slave trade and liberate the enslaved people. The Britis ...

), having been promised that freedom would also bring a prestigious career. When Frank comes to the end of his journey, however, he realises that he has been deceived: his prestigious career is nothing more than running a seedy barber shop frequented by his new abolitionist masters, and is paid meagre wages for his work. However, Frank is soon discovered by members of the American Colonization Society, who rescue Frank from his predicament and pay for his passage back to

Liberia Liberia (), officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country on the West African coast. It is bordered by Sierra Leone to Liberia–Sierra Leone border, its northwest, Guinea to its north, Ivory Coast to its east, and the Atlantic Ocean ...

, his homeland, where he can finally live in peace.

In other works

*Chapter VII of ''Freeman'' – entitled ''The Death of Dinah'' – is strongly echoed in a later anti-Tom novel: ''

Uncle Robin, in His Cabin in Virginia, and Tom Without One in Boston ''Uncle Robin, in His Cabin in Virginia, and Tom Without One in Boston'' (sometimes shortened to simply ''Uncle Robin's Cabin'') is an 1853 novel written by J.W. Page and released by J. W. Randolph Publishers of Richmond, Virginia. Overview '' ...

'' by J.W. Page (

1853 Events January–March * January 6 – Florida Governor Thomas Brown signs legislation that provides public support for the new East Florida Seminary, leading to the establishment of the University of Florida. * January 8 – Taiping Reb ...

), in which another character also named Dinah passes away as a redeemed

Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...

, as does the character of Dinah in Hall's novel. The death of a Christianized slave was a frequent cliche used in anti-Tom novels, and another example of this is the death of Aunt Phillis in Eastman's ''

Aunt Phillis's Cabin ''Aunt Phillis's Cabin; or, Southern Life as It Is'' by Mary Henderson Eastman is a plantation fiction novel, and is perhaps the most read anti-Tom novel in American literature. It was published by Lippincott, Grambo & Co. of Philadelphia in 1 ...

''. *The 1853 novel '' Liberia; or, Mr. Peyton's Experiments'' bears some similarities to ''Freeman'', particularly as both feature ex-slaves who are sent to

after leading miserable lives in the north.

References

External links

''Frank Freeman's Barber Shop'' at the University of Virginia
1852 American novels Anti-Tom novels American colonization movement {{1850s-novel-stub