William Apess

An item at American Writers Museum

William Apess's memoir, A Son of the Forest (1829), describes his journey to reclaim his Pequot identity after being taken away from his family and forced to work as a servant for white families. The memoir-one of the first published works by a Native author-built upon the tradition of Native storytelling.

The memoir also details Apess's decision to become an ordained Methodist minister. In Christianity, Apess found an argument for social justice that fueled his fight for Native American rights. In 1836, he courted controversy in a speech that hailed both George Washington and Wampanoag chief King Philip as fathers of the nation.

AMERICAN VOICES

An exhibit at American Writers Museum

American writing is distinctive, diverse, and comes in many forms from across the nation. The 100 authors featured here represent the evolution of American writing. Learn more about each writer on the timeline by turning the panels below their portraits. Explore centuries of writing by pulling, turning, and touching the interactive elements on the counter.

This is not meant to be a list of the greatest or most influential writers. Instead, we present authors and works as part of the American story as it grows and changes. Taken together, this rich literary heritage reflects America in all of its complexity: its energy, hope, conflict, disillusionment, and creativity.

American Writers Museum