Joel Chandler Harris (1845-1908) was an American author of children's stories known best for fables told through the character Uncle Remus, such as "Tar Baby". He learned to write by handsetting newspaper type as a young man, as had Benjamin Franklin. His stories were based on oral stories passed down by slaves at Turnwold Plantation, where he spent some developmental years. Many can act as entertainment for adults as well as children as a result of their complex morals but they books do contain racial slurs. During the peak of his career, he was surpassed only in popularity by Mark Twain.