An Eyewitness History of Slavery in America: From Colonial Times to the Civil War

by Dorothy Schneider, Carl J. Schneider

"The history of the enslavement of African Americans in North America stretches from the beginning of European colonization and lasted until the end of the Civil War. "Slavery in America recounts this history by examining, chapter by chapter many of its aspects: the slave catchers and their coffles in Africa,the crowded slave ships that transported Africans along the the triangular trade routes to America, slave auctions, life and labor on the plantation, escape attempts and insurrections, and finally the Civil War and eventual emancipation. The authors capture the complexities and the extent of slavery and document the wide differences in the ways people reacted to the terrible institution.

An Eyewitness History of Slavery in America provides hundred of first hand accounts-from diary entries, letters, speeches, and newspapers accounts-that illustrates how historical events appeared to those who lived through them. Among the eyewitness testimonies included are those from Sojourner Truth, Nat Turner, Benjamin Franklin, Harriet Tubmman, and Abraham Lincoln. In addition to the first had accounts, each chapter provides and introductory essay and a chronology of events. The book also includes such critical documents as the 1672 charter of the Royal African Company, the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850, the Emancipation Proclamation, and the Thirteenth Amendment, as well as capsule biographies of more than 100 key figures, notes, a bibliography, an index, and 80 black-and-white photographs."

Genres: History, African American

458 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2000

Reviews

[Denise Spicer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Starting with a chapter about “the West Coast of Africa 1441-1866” through “the Middle Passage 1500-1866”, and on through Slave Life, Slave Work, Runaways, Rebels, and Black Soldiers this book attempts to cover the history of slavery in the U. S. It also includes information on Canada, and Indian as Slaves and Slaveholders. There are 340 pages of text with lots of black and while illustrations, photos, drawings, etc. Each of the twelve chapters also includes a chronological “Chronicle of Events” with important dates for events that happened in that chapter and very interesting sections of “Eyewitness Testimony” relating events in the words of contemporary individuals. Also includes Appendices, Index, Notes, and Bibliography.

[Chris brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Had this for an African American Studies / History class years ago

[Ebony Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book because it gives history that is needed. I made sure my daughter read this book. It's ad but it's a history that needs to be known.