Religious Experience and Journal of Mrs. Jarena Lee (AmazonClassics Edition)

The first African American woman to publish an autobiography and the first woman to be authorized to preach by Richard Allen, founder of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, Jarena Lee—itinerant minister, abolitionist, and women’s equality advocate—is an underappreciated American trailblazer. After her spiritual conversion, Lee was determined to pursue her calling. Undaunted by male-dominated social customs, she traveled thousands of miles to bring the Gospel to the people.

In this historic memoir, Lee reflects on her life, her spiritual transformation, and her critical role in the Second Great Awakening—a movement that initiated a number of reforms. Today, it remains an important chronicle of faith and an invaluable record of a pioneer who broke through barriers of race, gender, and institutional inertia.

Revised edition: Previously published as Religious Experience and Journal of Mrs. Jarena Lee, this edition of Religious Experience and Journal of Mrs. Jarena Lee (AmazonClassics Edition) includes editorial revisions.