Synopses & Reviews
From slave ships to plantations to freedom, The Struggle Against Slavery traces the remarkable history of the heroic fight to end slavery, from its North American beginnings in the early 1600s to its violent demise in the mid-1800s with the Civil War. Captured in their own words from transcripts, diaries, memoirs, newspaper clippings, drawings, and other documents are the stories of how slaves and free blacks fought against the dehumanization of slavery by developing anti-racist arguments, creating their own institutions, physically escaping, and fighting with weapons. An exceptional social, political, and cultural history of the period, The Struggle Against Slavery is filled with stirring tales of survival and strength, bringing to life the African-American experience in early America.
Review
"This is a book we've been waiting for, for a long time....Outstanding....Well annotated with wonderful black and white reproductions of art....Children will be fascinated with the letters reproduced...they give a very now feeling to history."--Teaching K-8
"This excellent series entry brings together hundreds of primary documents to tell the history of slavery....The illustrations are carefully chosen to match the text and add a great deal to readers' understanding....A valuable resource for students and for teachers."--School Library Journal
"Each entry is placed in context with a good introduction. Well-captioned reproductions of period documents, photos, engravings, posters, prints, and other artifacts appear throughout the book. With the increasing emphasis on students' learning to interpret primary sources for historical research, this will be a useful addition to many library collections."--Booklist
Description
Includes bibliographical references (p. ) and index.
About the Author
David Waldstreicher is Association Professor of History at Temple University. His recent works include
Runaway America : Benjamin Franklin, Slavery, and the American Revolution (Hill and Wang, 2004) and
The Envisioning America and Notes on the State of Virginia and Confessions of: Nat Turner (Bedford/St. Martin's, 2002).
Table of Contents
What is a Document?How to Read a Document
Introduction: Vanguards of Freedom
Chapter One: The Making of American Slavery
Capture and Transport
Early Resistance
Slaves' Lives in the Colonies
Rebels and Runaways
Chapter Two: The African-American Revolution
Liberty For All?
Lord Dunmore and the Promise of Freedom
The Declaration of Independence and the Question of Slavery
Revolutionary Soldiers
Equality Disputed
Revolutionary Ideals
Chapter Three: Forging Freedom and Fighting Slavery in the North
First Steps to Freedom
An End to the Slave Trade
Opponents to Colonization
Free Blacks Speak Out
Another Independence Day
The Call for Civil Rights
Chapter Four: Picture Essay: Slavery and Freedom: Dressing the Part
Chapter Five: The Continual Struggle: Southern Slaves and Masters
Private and Public Rebellion
Disobedience and Discipline
Subversion, Suffering, and Escape
Chapter Six: The Second American Revolution and the End of Slavery
Justified Rebellion
A Welcome War
Emancipation
Liberation
Timeline
Further Reading
Text Credits
Picture Credits
Index