Baltimore: A Political History

by Matthew A. Crenson

How politics and race shaped Baltimore's distinctive disarray of cultures and subcultures. Charm City or Mobtown? People from Baltimore glory in its eccentric charm, small-town character, and North-cum-South culture. But for much of the nineteenth century, violence and disorder plagued the city. More recently, the 2015 death of Freddie Gray in police custody has prompted Baltimoreans—and the entire nation—to focus critically on the rich and tangled narrative of black–white relations in Baltimore, where slavery once existed alongside the largest community of free blacks in the United States. Matthew A. Crenson, a distinguished political scientist and Baltimore native, examines the role of politics and race throughout Baltimore's history. From its founding in 1729 up through the recent past, Crenson follows Baltimore's political evolution from an empty expanse of marsh and hills to a complicated city with distinct ways of doing business. Revealing how residents at large engage (and disengage) with one another across an expansive agenda of issues and conflicts, Crenson shows how politics helped form this complex city's personality. Crenson provocatively argues that Baltimore's many quirks are likely symptoms of urban underdevelopment. The city's longtime domination by the general assembly—and the corresponding weakness of its municipal authority—forced residents to adopt the private and extra-governmental institutions that shaped early Baltimore. On the one hand, Baltimore was resolutely parochial, split by curious political quarrels over issues as minor as loose pigs. On the other, it was keenly attuned to national during the Revolution, for instance, Baltimoreans were known for their comparative radicalism. Crenson describes how, as Baltimore and the nation grew, whites competed with blacks, slave and free, for menial and low-skill work. He also explores how the urban elite thrived by avoiding, wherever possible, questions of slavery versus freedom—just as wealthier Baltimoreans, long after the Civil War and emancipation, preferred to sidestep racial controversy. Peering into the city's 300-odd neighborhoods, this fascinating account holds up a mirror to Baltimore, asking whites in particular to reexamine the past and accept due responsibility for future racial progress.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

632 pages, Paperback

Published October 1, 2019

Reviews

[Cindy Geary · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book provides some fascinating information for anyone looking for historical context to help them understand present-day Baltimore--its early days as several small villages, the dilemma of what to do with the pigs that roamed the streets in colonial times and beyond, conflict over their role in the Civil War. It is written in an academic style which makes it fairly dense for the average reader. I am not an historian but understand the need for careful documentation before presenting information as fact, so I made the effort to work through the text. I found interesting the sections on the early European settlement of Baltimore and its colonial period and explanations of how the differences in the agriculture of the Eastern Shore and the rest of Maryland determined culture vis a vis slavery. Discussions of Baltimore's very complicated relationship with the Confederacy during the Civil War were very enlightening. Learning more about Baltimore's ever-contentious relationship with Annapolis and the role of the railroads in the economy of the city was helpful in understanding present-day Baltimore. The history of the political machinery that has run Baltimore took up possibly more text than I had interest in. I also got lost in the machinations of the more contemporary dispute over the East-West Expressway, even though I agree it was important to discuss. I kept wishing I could see a map of the city at different points in time to orient myself to the relationships between neighborhoods. I also had hoped for some discussion of the role of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore politics because everyone who lives here knows they have a great deal of influence in the city. I applaud Crenson for taking on the issue of race front and center and making the point that Baltimore's unease with talking about race actually created more problems than it deterred. Baltimore is a complicated city. This book took on a lot of these complications. I realize this was written for a specific academic audience, but I think it would be great if a version could be written for a more popular audience that made all the important connections made by the author, but in a more direct way. I fear there are few people living here who understand the extent to which present-day Baltimore has evolved from its historical past.

[Lawrence Grandpre · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fills in quite a few gaps. Captures much of the complexity of place in terms of Baltimore's north/south dynamic (and adds a vision of Baltimore as western most eastern city which is interesting).

The book ends essentially with schmoke, the first elected black mayor leaving office in the 90s. I feel this is understand, but disappointing. It's hard to write history about living people, but the dynamics of O'Malley rise and zero tolerance policing and mass incarceration deserve more than a few pages. It seems to need out on civil war and revolutionary war history while leave serious deficits in the cities Africa America history. Walter p Carter, noted community organizer is only mentioned as "a former CORE organizer" which I think shows the book, in attempting to accomplish an admittedly impossible task, replicates some unfortunate blind spots in Baltimore historiography. Baltimore's black history is scattered and not written down in many comprehensive documents. As such books on Baltimore, rather than do the hard work of compiling this history, write on the black people who make it into whites texts. I picked up this book.hoping it would addressing this blind spot and was disappointed to find it replicated it.

Still worth the read.

[Vannessa Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Before reading Baltimore A Political History, all I thought about was fishing, cruise ships, gambling, food and entertainment. Who knew that Baltimore had such a rich political History!

Baltimore A Political History, was an informative read.

[Betty Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took me over a year to read this fact-packed, comprehensive, perfectly researched opus. Because of its detail, it was best read in small doses. The author clearly loves Baltimore and is able to describe not just the quirks, but also why the quirks.

[Mel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am almost totally uninterested in the horse race politics of who ran for mayor and who worked on their campaign. So some of the book was a little tedious to me. But this is a book about Politics, so I cannot really complain too much about that. I definitely feel like I have a better grasp on how this city was formed and why some things are the way they are. Worth a read if you are interested in Baltimore (or just US) politics and urban history in general.