After his dramatic escape from slavery, William Wells Brown (1814-1884) became the first published African-American playwright, and also the first to write a novel. His creative use of musical imagery in his stories had a powerful effect on his readers, and influenced other authors who imitated his technique. After many adventures, Brown settled down in Boston, and became a renowned abolitionist, lecturer, and historian.
Immigration is an issue that is not going away. It has dominated the coverage of the early stages of the 2016 presidential campaign and is likely to continue to do so. And with good reason. Today, there are more than 11 million people living in America illegally. And although a majority of Americans favor allowing them to stay — provided certain requirements are met — sizable majorities want the government to deport criminal aliens, stop rewarding (indeed, incentivizing) illegal immigration with government benefits, and improve border security to stop the flow of uninvited guests.
Behind these practical complaints, however, looms a larger, more philosophic, question: What does it mean to be an American?
