Brown, William Wells: - William Wells Brown (1814-1884) was an American abolitionist, lecturer, novelist, and historian who escaped slavery and became one of the leading African American voices of the nineteenth century. After gaining his freedom in 1834, Brown devoted his life to the abolitionist cause, speaking widely throughout the United States and Europe. His Narrative of William Wells Brown, A Fugitive Slave was one of the most widely read slave narratives of its time, and he later became the first African American to publish a novel. Brown's writings remain important contributions to American history and literature.