From Publishers Weekly
Noting that successive waves of scholarship have overemphasized both black divisiveness and black unity, Horton, co-author of Black Bostonians: Family Life and Community Struggle in an Antebellum City, makes a rather dry argument for a more nuanced view as he explores pre-Civil War black society in cities like Boston, Buffalo and Washington, D.C. As opposed to scholars who emphasize the differences between the lives of free blacks and slaves, Horton notes that the shared foundation of black life impelled free blacks to absorb and protect migrants and to work for abolition. Considering gender roles, Horton notes that as black men tried to assert their manhood, the conventions they adopted often marginalized women, and that variations in skin color led to stratification that persists today. The use of the term "African" in organizational names while individuals took European names was a hint of "double consciousness," the author states. In a final section, he shows how black relations with German immigrants were more peaceful than their better-known bitter relations with Irish immigrants. Illustrations not seen by PW.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Library Journal
Horton, a Smithsonian director and a professor (history and American civilization, George Washington Univ.), presents a powerful study of the northern African American communities of the United States during the mid-19th century. His research derives from his inquiries and several well-revised and thoroughly researched studies cited in this exceptional resource. The study probes the complexities of some weighty issues still plaguing black society today: shades of color; violence, protest, and identity of black manhood; race, occupations, and ethnicity; and economic and social relationships. It is a progress report, a preview of continued investigation, judging from its content and notes. Highly recommended for the researcher, historian, and sociologist.
- Gayle Leach-Bethea, MHC Correctional Facility Lib., Jessup, Md.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
- Gayle Leach-Bethea, MHC Correctional Facility Lib., Jessup, Md.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
