Misconceptions In 'Slavery By Another Name'

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Douglas A. Blackmon skillfully challenges the common misconception that slavery ended with the Civil War. Throughout "Slavery by Another Name", Blackmon provides countless accounts of horrific events which took place post-Civil War. There were laws specifically enforced against the newly freed slaves which ensured their imprisonment. There were also significant details about slavery 's abolishment which I had never been taught or explored. Throughout this essay, I will explore the concepts and ideas within "Slavery by Another Name", and provide reasons why I enjoyed this book. In doing so, I will also provide an insight into how the book corrected my misconceptions concerning civil rights. "Slavery by Another Name" is a wonderfully written novel which provides details and accounts concerning civil rights before the civil rights movement. As I read the book, I was constantly reminded of how difficult it must have been for Blackmon to research such graphic events. Just reading devastating details about the history of racism and slavery was difficult. You become increasingly emotionally invested with each detail, and it is exhausting to hear the brutal treatment of each "freed slave". It is obvious the amount of research put into this book, and I 'm appreciative of how each page was filled with information concerning the impact of racism within American history. By perfectly organizing each detail throughout the book, my knowledge of history and racism was significantly changed. While reading, I realized that I had never considered the events which took place between the Civil War and the Civil rights movement. Nearly 100 years had not been challenged or questioned throughout the few history classes I had taken. Each class heavily covered the morality of slavery, how terrible it was, and how it was abolished. I have grown up in the south, so I assumed I knew everything I could about slavery being it was such a crucial event throughout American history. I wish history classes elaborated the years in between each crucial event. Though I knew racism never went away, I did not realize the extent slavery was practiced under different terms. I 'm thankful for this book, as I 'm now much more knowledgeable concerning the events which took place and shaped our country. Innocent black Americans were made into convicts by the countless, useless laws put in place. The white men who bought the slaves beat and tortured them. They used the outlet of slavery as a way to vent frustration. It was a legal way to exhibit violent and cruelty to another human being. Of the secrets hidden within the history of our country, I feel that this book demonstrates the most dark and embarrassing. "Slavery by Another Name" brought light to the subject of how slaves were treated similarly to cattle, even after slavery was abolished. Blackmon seems to wholeheartedly believe that if we are unaware of the effects of slavery, we will continue to live in the shadows of racism. History repeats itself, and Blackmon wants to be sure that …show more content…
I assumed about the issues he presented, and each was followed up with sufficient evidence. The novel flowed well, and was definitely a page-turner. The only issue I could find was I feel as if the book should have been narrowed to less pages than it was. The book covered a lot of the same topics, and points, multiple times. I 'm sure it was to emphasize the point Blackmon was trying to convey, but I feel like it only made the novel harder to digest than it would have been otherwise. I believe that if Blackmon had demonstrated each point once, it would have been a much faster read, and I would have enjoyed the book more. I also would have more time to analyze it, and reflect on what I had learned from it. While this issue is something I feel kept me from reflecting on the book, I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. Each part of the book contributed further to my understanding of the most fundamental parts of American history. Overall, "Slavery by Another Name" improved my understanding of the effects racism had throughout history. Blackmon constantly provides examples of how racism created barriers. After finishing the novel, I felt confident in my understanding of the continuation of slavery through the late

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