A memoir is a historical account or biography written from personal knowledge or special sources. It's a book about your life, the lessons learned, and key moments that shaped who you are. We all typically think of a memoir and cringe a little at the idea of a book about someone else's life
Explanation:
A memoir is a collection of memories that someone writes about his or her own life. While the memories can be public or private—and are often a mix of the two if the memoirist is a famous person—a memoir is understood to be as factual as memory permits.
It is significant because a prominent leader was suggesting that the unequal treatment of African Americans was in direct opposition to the principles of the Declaration of Independence.