# Slavery and Race in The Autobiography of Mark Twain

> Theme guide for The Autobiography of Mark Twain by Mark Twain.

Twain recounts his childhood in a slaveholding community, his abolitionist father, and the complex relationships with African American servants like George, while also praising Booker Washington's work for racial uplift.

## Where it surfaces

- [Early Years in Florida, Missouri](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_autobiography_of_mark_twain_se/chapters/volume-i-early-years-in-florida-missouri): Twain details his father's ownership and hiring of enslaved people, including specific wages and clothing allowances.
- [Jane Lampton Clemens](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_autobiography_of_mark_twain_se/chapters/volume-i-jane-lampton-clemens): Twain examines the mild domestic slavery of Hannibal, the community's acceptance of it, and the rare but haunting sight of chained slaves.
- [Mark Twain](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_autobiography_of_mark_twain_se/chapters/volume-ii-mark-twain): Booker T. Washington's work for African American education and the racial dynamics of the era are central.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_autobiography_of_mark_twain_se/themes/slavery_and_race
- Themes index: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_autobiography_of_mark_twain_se/themes