“A thought-provoking piece of scholarship that sheds light on the complex history of slave breeding in America. Smithers’s book will be hotly debated in the profession.â€â€”Michael L. Ondaatje; University of Newcastle; Australia“As engaging as it is compelling; bold; and captivating; Smithers’s Slave Breeding pulls the reader through its pages with heart-wrenching exposition of the dark and ugly chapter of what could rightly be characterized as the sexual zeitgeist of American national history.â€â€”Tunde Adeleke; Iowa State UniversityFor over two centuries; the topic of slave breeding has occupied a controversial place in the master narrative of American history. From nineteenth-century abolitionists to twentieth-century filmmakers and artists; Americans have debated whether slave owners deliberately and coercively manipulated the sexual practices and marital status of enslaved African Americans to reproduce new generations of slaves for profit. In this bold and provocative book; historian Gregory Smithers investigates how African Americans have narrated; remembered; and represented slave-breeding practices. He argues that while social and economic historians have downplayed the significance of slave breeding; African Americans have refused to forget the violence and sexual coercion associated with the plantation South. By placing African American histories and memories of slave breeding within the larger context of America’s history of racial and gender discrimination; Smithers sheds much-needed light on African American collective memory; racialized perceptions of fragile black families; and the long history of racially motivated violence against men; women; and children of color.
#1418293 in Books University Press of Florida 2003-02-28Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 10.12 x 1.01 x 7.06l; 2.06 #File Name: 0813026512448 pages
Review
0 of 6 people found the following review helpful. History BuffsBy pinkligglossYou really have to love the Civil War to enjoy this book. I'm reading it for a class. Yes; there are some chapters which are a little interesting. But overall; I just don't find American history that fascinating.5 of 5 people found the following review helpful. This Will Appeal to all Civil War Enthusiasts!By Mike MinerMy college degree; light years ago; was in Historic Archaeology; and I've been a Civil War enthusiast for 40 years. So; when I spotted this book; I just had to check it out. I wasn't disappointed and neither will you be. Archaeology in the Civil War field is relatively new; save for the traditional structures. All of that changed with the burning and subsequent excavations of the Custer Battlefield. Finally we are seeing more and more applications to various Civil War sites; although all too often it is salvage archaeology. In any event; this book will give you a glimpse into the science of historic archaeology without bogging you down and zoning you out with the technical aspects. The sites covered are varied and historically interesting. It is a fun read with ample photographs and charts. Of particular interest; for example; were the excavations at Andersonville that produced some spectacular results on locating and identifying the walls. Your next visit to a Civil War site will never be the same after you read this book and get a new perspective of what you are walking on. Buy and enjoy this book!6 of 6 people found the following review helpful. An interesting look at historical ArchaeologyBy arqueologoThis is an excellent book for the anyone interested both archaeology and history. Many people do not know what a great deal of information can be gleaned from an archaeological analysis of historic sites. The authors look at several archaeological studies done on the Civil War; especially the battle of Antietam; and shed some new light on military strategies; the ebb and flow of battlefields; and the daily lives of soldiers and citizens. A must-read for any Civil War buff and anyone interested in seeing how archaeology can affect the historical record.
