american slavery
Reparations would help close the staggering racial wealth gap
William Darity and Kirsten Mullen make the case for finally addressing a great wrong.
How Heather Cox Richardson looks to the past for hope
The “Letters from an American” author provides historical context for today’s threats to democracy.
When people’s value is reduced to their economic contributions, they are dehumanized.
Take & Read: Old Testament
New books that are shaping conversations about the Old Testament
Toni Morrison writes about race, religion, and her own fiction
Our language isn’t neutral. It has history embedded within it.
The slaveholding mistress and her purse strings
Stephanie Jones-Rogers dismantles the stereotype of white female passivity in the pre-Civil War south.
Jill Lepore’s book is the civics course Americans need
At the heart of her narrative is the fate of two political ideals: liberty and popular sovereignty.
Zora Neale Hurston brings us the voice of a former slave
Hurston's singular ear for the beauty of speech and memory brings Cudjo Lewis's story to life.
Nat Turner led a slave rebellion. He also heard the voice of God.
In recent years, debates over the appropriateness of public monuments celebrating Confederate figures have become increasingly common. Along with exposing deep racial divides, these debates have brought to light historical attitudes and structures built on enduring notions of white supremacy. While generally taking place in local contexts, they have ramifications that concern all Americans.
Gateway to Freedom, by Eric Foner
Eric Foner resurrects the history of the Underground Railroad, its powerful place in New York City, and how it helped Harriet Beecher Stowe and others bring about the war that ended slavery.