In the United States, there is a common assumption that the Civil War marked the end of the slavery era. However, Douglas Blackmon’s book Slavery by Another Name dispels this supposition. It uncovers chilling evidence that slavery went into the 1900s. Blackmon explains that the form of slavery that was prevalent in the early 1900s is synonymous with that of the earlier years. In this regard, the book distances itself from discussions regarding institutionalized racism; it tackles the grim nature of human bondage, forced labor, cruelty, and poor living circumstances that persisted legally to the mid-twentieth century. To validate his argument, Blackmon utilizes a wide range of primary sources and individual accounts. This collection enables
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However, the strength of the book lies in Blackmon’s ability to go beyond the gory details of the practice to the historical realities of the era. Through this approach, the reader gets a broader and substantiated viewpoint of the issue of slavery. It offers a comprehensive understanding of the consequences of the anti-slavery crusade to White slave owners. The loss of the slaves was not merely a loss of cheap labor, but instead, it was the reality of losing years in experience regarding the proper management and execution of a particular line of work. Consequently, the loss of intellectual capacity resultant from the Emancipation Proclamation was immense for most Southern States. Besides, the book offers a glimpse into the historical significance of the Black vote in American politics: “A key element of the strategy was to forge a political base among southern Republicans, almost all of whom were black” (Blackmon 158). Blackmon highlights Theodore Roosevelt’s tactical approach to secure the presidency in 1904, which relied heavily on support from the Black …show more content…
At the onset of the book, he attempts to convince the reader to accept Green Cottenham’s declarations as valid (Blackmon 1). The irrationality of this approach is that the overreliance on a victim’s recollection does not validate an argument. Such evidence is prone to bias and modification, which can alter the historical realities of slavery. Slaves were illiterate; hence, most of their memories are not viable due to the lapse of time. Further, there is no tangible evidence to support their claims because of the absence of physical records. Consequently, Cottenham’s recollection goes against the general strategy of the book, which incorporates hard evidence and research to substantiate historical facts. However, this miscalculation represents the only fault in an otherwise outstanding piece of literature with significant sociopolitical relevance.
Ultimately, the book stays true to its dedicated insistence on well-researched history and compelling legal and personal accounts, which boosts its consistency and absorbing power. Blackmon tackles the issue of post-Civil War slavery successfully. He exposes the lack of research in a topic that is significant in the history of the United States. The book creates the necessary background for inspiring helpful discussions on race relations, economic realities of Black people, and political involvement
However, the strength of the book lies in Blackmon’s ability to go beyond the gory details of the practice to the historical realities of the era. Through this approach, the reader gets a broader and substantiated viewpoint of the issue of slavery. It offers a comprehensive understanding of the consequences of the anti-slavery crusade to White slave owners. The loss of the slaves was not merely a loss of cheap labor, but instead, it was the reality of losing years in experience regarding the proper management and execution of a particular line of work. Consequently, the loss of intellectual capacity resultant from the Emancipation Proclamation was immense for most Southern States. Besides, the book offers a glimpse into the historical significance of the Black vote in American politics: “A key element of the strategy was to forge a political base among southern Republicans, almost all of whom were black” (Blackmon 158). Blackmon highlights Theodore Roosevelt’s tactical approach to secure the presidency in 1904, which relied heavily on support from the Black …show more content…
At the onset of the book, he attempts to convince the reader to accept Green Cottenham’s declarations as valid (Blackmon 1). The irrationality of this approach is that the overreliance on a victim’s recollection does not validate an argument. Such evidence is prone to bias and modification, which can alter the historical realities of slavery. Slaves were illiterate; hence, most of their memories are not viable due to the lapse of time. Further, there is no tangible evidence to support their claims because of the absence of physical records. Consequently, Cottenham’s recollection goes against the general strategy of the book, which incorporates hard evidence and research to substantiate historical facts. However, this miscalculation represents the only fault in an otherwise outstanding piece of literature with significant sociopolitical relevance.
Ultimately, the book stays true to its dedicated insistence on well-researched history and compelling legal and personal accounts, which boosts its consistency and absorbing power. Blackmon tackles the issue of post-Civil War slavery successfully. He exposes the lack of research in a topic that is significant in the history of the United States. The book creates the necessary background for inspiring helpful discussions on race relations, economic realities of Black people, and political involvement