american slavery

Nancy Koester’s biography captures the remarkable ministry of Sojourner Truth, who could not read or write.

William Darity and Kirsten Mullen make the case for finally addressing a great wrong.

The “Letters from an American” author provides historical context for today’s threats to democracy.

When people’s value is reduced to their economic contributions, they are dehumanized.

New books that are shaping conversations about the Old Testament

Our language isn’t neutral. It has history embedded within it.

Stephanie Jones-Rogers dismantles the stereotype of white female passivity in the pre-Civil War south.

At the heart of her narrative is the fate of two political ideals: liberty and popular sovereignty.

Hurston's singular ear for the beauty of speech and memory brings Cudjo Lewis's story to life.

Nat Turner led a slave rebellion. He also heard the voice of God.

In recent years, debates over the appropriateness of public monuments celebrating Confederate figures have become increasingly common. Along with exposing deep racial divides, these debates have brought to light historical attitudes and structures built on enduring notions of white supremacy.

While generally taking place in local contexts, they have ramifications that concern all Americans.

Eric Foner resurrects the history of the Underground Railroad, its powerful place in New York City, and how it helped Harriet Beecher Stowe and others bring about the war that ended slavery.

Between April 1831 and February 1832, two officials of the French government under Louis-Philippe toured Jacksonian America. These two officials—Alexis de Tocqueville and Gustave de Beaumont—were on assignment to research prisons in the United States and later produced a report of their findings in 1833. But while traveling through America, Tocqueville and Beaumont were also carefully observing political and social life in the new republic. Both men published works on their observations. Tocqueville wrote Democracy in America (1835/1840) and Beaumont wrote a novel, entitled Marie or, Slavery in the United States (1835).

Most Americans are familiar with Tocqueville’s work, but Beaumont’s novel is less well known. 

Edward Baptist so powerfully captures the pain and tragedy of plantation slavery that I had to force myself to turn each page.

2014 demonstrated that, whatever the significance of Barack Obama’s two terms as our first African American president, we have hardly moved beyond national struggles over race and class. Failures to indict white policemen accused of the unjust killings of black men precipitated protests and online shouting matches about racial inequality, or just how to talk about race. Christians participated in (hopefully) profitable discussions such as the December 16, 2014 “A Time to Speak” event, hosted by Pastor Bryan Lorritts of Fellowship Memphis, at the Lorraine Motel and National Civil Rights Museum.

December 16 was also the 300th birthday of George Whitefield, the most important evangelist of the Great Awakening of the 18th century.