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What was the first autobiography to be published and the first work of African American prose?

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Final answer:

The first autobiography to be published was 'Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave Written by Himself' by Frederick Douglass. It is also considered the first work of African American prose.

Step-by-step explanation:

The first autobiography to be published was 'Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave Written by Himself' by Frederick Douglass.

Frederick Douglass, an escaped slave and abolitionist, published his autobiography in 1845. It became one of the most powerful and famous pieces of African American literature from the nineteenth century. Douglass identified by name the whites who had brutalized him, which forced him to flee the United States to avoid being murdered. His autobiography was widely read, reprinted in multiple editions, and translated into several languages.

Furthermore, this work is considered the first work of African American prose.

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