The author does not focus, this book around the history of slavery in New England. Instead Piersen concentrates on the processes of assimilation and creation of a subcultural from the black bondsman 's point of view.
The book consist of 5 significant categories the author discuss in great detail for his readers to understand the steps that northern Negroes took to form a larger culture. The first section in the book is on African American immigrants and Black Yankees. In chapters one the author discuss black people or the “New Negroes” experiences while traveling and arriving in the New World. Piersen use vivid depictions to describe the “New Negroes” cultural shock when they arrived to the new world such as New England. For example, Piersen writes:
“Olaudah Equiano,for example, recounted his awe of great sailing ships and navigational aids of the Atlantic Trade and his amazement on coming ashore to horse-drawn wagons, multistoried houses, representational paintings,clocks,and other exotic products of Euro - American