Customer Reviews

From Slavery to Freedom: A History of African Americans

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Dr. Franklin is one of the greatest historians this country has ever produced. He holds degrees from Fisk and Harvard (two post graduate degrees from Cambridge). He has more honorary degrees than Carter has little pills (or I guess now, peanuts). This work, now in its eighth printing, is perhaps the greatest single reference work exploring the African American experience and the contributions of this race to American history, and has been so since the first edition was printed in 1947.

He starts by revealing more knowledge that most people ever fathomed about the African experience in the pre-slavery centuries, with the greatness that was the African continent in Ghana, Songhay and the rest of Africa. The exploration of the "peculiar institution" of slavery, reconstruction and the post Civil War hope is complete and brilliantly done. The chapters on the Harlem Renaissance and the first half of the twentieth century alone is worth the price of the book.

Extraordinarily well researched. It is scholarly but never dry. It is objective, but never loses the passion for the subject. A must for any complete understanding of our history.

This book is the product of outstanding research produced by an internationally recognized historian, John Hope Franklin. Don't believe me and the other reviewers? Act like a historian and check out Duke University's website; read reviews of Franklin's work in the major journals of professional historians; and do this with an open mind, while trying to discover and weigh in against your own biases. The history of African Americans in the United States simply can't be told without discussing racism as a structure that many white people built through law, social segregation, economic practices, intimidation, and accepting the privileges of "the way things were done." _If_ you do _not_ want to learn about America in this light, if you want to close your mind to reality, do not read this book. But even if the idea of facing these ugly truths may tug at your soul a bit, there is so much more in this book. In a very readable, comprehensive, illustrated work, you can learn about men and women who worked, wrote, taught, served, healed, created, protested, died, dreamed, played, and were just human in every other imaginable way in America. If this is what you are looking for, read on.

As a graduate of Howard University, this text was used in several disciplines on the campus and I still refer to this book in my personal search of correcting some of the inaccuracies that I was fed as a child. Dr. Franklin offers complete and accurate accounts of the real story, not his-story!

This book is in no way a revisionary or revolutionary work for the militant black individual as previous reviews may lead you to believe. In fact, compare this work with your average high school history text, research the events (thoroughly) and determine its validity and accuracy on your own. It is imperative to research -- don't just take what is given to you as fact! You will be amazed of the overwhelming evidence that Dr. Franklin provides that has been omitted in many American high school textbooks.

Every child, especially those of African descent, should have the opportunity to receive the information that Dr. Franklin has so eloquently and chronologically written in this book. This is truly a must-read!

This book brought into life the history of a group of Americans that has been long neglected, in the standard American textbooks. This book was easy to read and follows the course of American history, from discovery to the Clinton presidency. A must for all persons who are interested in history. Not just African-American history, but American history. Get it, it is worth having, if you call yourself an historian.

This book offers a wealth of knowledge conserning the history of blacks on this country. The plight of the African people has never before, in my experience on the subject, been covered so competely. Franklin writes with empathy and passion as he seeks to accuratly educate the people of the world about the atrocities that the African people have faced in this country. Franklin exposses how this country was built on the backs of slaves.

I am a student of African-American history, and this is the most thorough book on African-American history I have read. From this book, one can gain a comprehensive view of the history of Blacks in Africa before they were brought to America as slaves. Once in America, the book expounds on every facet of Black life in every period of history from slavery to the contemporary era.

This book should be a part of the library of any serious student of African-American history.

This book brought into life the history of a group of Americans that has been long neglected, in the standard American textbooks. This book was easy to read and follows the course of American history, from discovery to the Clinton presidency. A must for all persons who are interested in history. Not just African-American history, but American history. Get it, it is worth having, if you call yourself an historian.

Franklin tells the story of the enslavement of millions of Africans with heart and objectivity. While originally published a couple of decades ago this is a work that is rightfully considered a classic. Indeed, as a historian Franklin has done that rarest of deeds, i.e. create an analysis of the past that is timeless. The only fault of this work is that his portrayal of the conflicts of recent times is a bit lightweight. But as someone with a degree in History I don't feel that you will have a good grasp on the slave question unless you read this book.

Now in its 8th edition, and now combined as two volumes in one, "From Slavery to Freedom" is an indispensable primer on African American historiography. Sweeping, even epic in its expanse, John Hope Franklin's overview of the African American experience, from African freedom to American enslavement, to American freedom, is the place to start to introduce oneself to this vital topic.

Reviewer: Bob Kellemen, Ph.D., is the author of Beyond the Suffering: Embracing the Legacy of African American Soul Care and Spiritual Direction , Soul Physicians: A Theology of Soul Care And Spiritual Direction, and Spiritual Friends: A Methodology of Soul Care And Spiritual Direction.

You've got to read this book to understand that it isn't just "A History of African Americans," it's a history of the people of this country.

I got it (the book) after learning of the 2009 death of the main author, John Hope Franklin, born in 1915. He was a very educated man, a professor at many colleges, and he was an African American, who wrote a lot.

"From Slavery to Freedom" was first published in 1947 ... when "Freedom" was still to be won - and he wrote about that battle for Freedom in eight subsequent editions. In the latest of those editions, he had a co-author, also African American and a professor, Alfred A. Moss, Jr.

We would hope that, in spite of Franklin's death, Prof. Moss will continue that journey. Because the journey continues .... in all of us.

Franklin said of the book, "My challenge was to weave into the fabric of American history enough of the presence of blacks so that the story of the United States could be told adequately and fairly." (The quote is from Wikepedia).

Of course, he could have said, "Throughout the history of America, we were there, too.

Read the book and learn about us. African Americans and Americans.