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Customer Review
Reviewed in the United States on July 6, 2018
I loved this book! Martha Jones is transparent about her archival process and the present-day connections her book has with spaces around Baltimore, such as the local courthouse. One of her arguments is that citizenship is not just a concept defined and dictated by the Constitution; citizenship is also understood and practiced by free blacks despite rulings such as Dred Scott. This book changed my conception of law because it made me think about how ordinary people are also part of defining it through practices such as traveling and claiming property. I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in a history of law that deals with everyday life in free black communities!
