The novelist William Dean Howells described autobiography as the most democratic of American literary genres. Autobiography has offered a voice to women, African Americans, Native Americans, and others whose writings have often been excluded from the literary canon.The men and women presented here observed, shaped, or participated in many of the most exciting and important events of American history. First Person Past lets them speak for themselves.

From the hundreds of American autobiographies, the editors have chosen twelve for each of Volumes I and II of First Person Past because they are interesting history and good literature. Their literary and historical virtues have been preserved as edited for inclusion in each volume.

Introduction.
1. "To My Dear Children": Anne Bradstreet.
2. Some Account of the Fore-Part of the Life of Elizabeth Ashbridge: Elizabeth Ashbridge.
3. The Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa the African Written by Himself: Olaudah Equiano.
4. Autobiography: Benjamin Franklin.
5. A Narrative of the Life of David Crockett of the State of Tennessee, Written by Himself: Davy Crockett.
6. Life of Ma-Ka-Tai-Me-She-Kia-Kiak or Black Hawk: Black Hawk.
7. Loom and Spindle, or Life Among the Early Mill Girls: Harriet H. Robinson.
8. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave: Written by Himself: Frederick Douglass.
9. Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, Written by Herself: Harriet A. Jacobs.
10. Eighty Years and More: Reminiscences, 1815-1897: Elizabeth Cady Stanton.
11. The Personal Memoirs of U. S. Grant: Ulysses S. Grant.
12. Sufferings of the Rev. T. G. Campbell and His Family, in Georgia: Tunis Gulic Campbell.
Bibliography.