Stumbled across this letter this afternoon and thought it was too interesting to keep to myself. It’s a letter from a former slave to his master, written in response to his master’s request that the slave leave his new life (and paid job) and return to the master’s farm in Tennessee. It’s a masterful achievement, a perfect blend of polite good humor and frank refusal. Do yourself a favor and read all the way to the end.

Letters of Note: To My Old Master.