Winner of the James Harvey Robinson Prize from the American Historical Association--and widely acclaimed by educators and students--Abina and the Important Men; Second Edition; is a compelling and powerfully illustrated "graphic history" based on an 1876 court transcript of a West African woman named Abina; who was wrongfully enslaved and took her case to court. The book is a microhistory that does much more than simply depict an event in the past; it uses the power of illustration to convey important themes in world history and to reveal the processes by which history is made.The story of Abina Mansah--a woman "without history" who was wrongfully enslaved; escaped to British-controlled territory; and then took her former master to court--takes place in the complex world of the Gold Coast at the onset of late nineteenth-century colonialism. Slavery becomes a contested ground; as cultural practices collide with an emerging wage economy and British officials turn a blind eye to the presence of underpaid domestic workers in the households of African merchants. The main scenes of the story take place in the courtroom; where Abina strives to convince a series of "important men"--a British judge; two Euro-African attorneys; and a jury of local leaders--that her experiences and perceptions matter. "Am I free?" Abina inquires. Throughout both the court case and the flashbacks that dramatically depict her life in servitude; both the defendants and members of the court strive to "silence" Abina and to impose their own understandings and meanings upon her. Following the graphic history in Part I; Parts II-V provide detailed historical context for the story; a reading guide that reconstructs and deconstructs the methods used to interpret the story; and strategies for using Abina in various classroom settings. This second edition features a new gender-rich section; Part V: Engaging Abina; which explores Abina's life and narrative as a woman. Focusing on such important themes as the relationship between slavery and gender in pre-colonial Akan society; the role of marriage in Abina's experience; colonial paternalism; and the meaning of cloth and beads in her story; this section also includes a debate on whether or not Abina was a slave; with contributions by three award-winning scholars--Antoinette Burton; Sandra Greene; and Kwasi Konadu--each working from different perspectives. The second edition includes new; additional testimony that was rediscovered in the National Archives of Ghana; which is also reflected in the graphic history section.
#1257903 in Books Hikoki Publications 2016-11-28Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 11.70 x .75 x 8.30l; 3.12 #File Name: 190210949X400 pagesHikoki Publications
Review
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Authoritative and Beautifully IllustratedBy PAUL V. WALSHThis is truly a labor of love. For a variety of reasons - from the pursuit of profit to the building of international ties - both Italy and Germany made a significant contribution to the development of civil and military aviation in Latin America during the 1920s and 1930s (and; indeed; as the authors relate in detail; in the post-war period as well). Amaru Tincopa and Santiago Rivas provide an exhaustively researched; fully illustrated study of Italian and German manufactured aircraft sold to and employed by nearly every nation in Latin America; on a country-by-country basis; following the careers of virtually every plane! In addition; there is coverage of the various long-distance flights to Latin America by aircraft and airships from Germany; Italy; and Japan. This is an immensely valuable study; not only for readers interested in the history of aviation; but for military historians; students of Latin American history in general; and historians of the foreign policies of the Axis nations.2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Five StarsBy Herbert M.Plott IIIThoroughly researched and well presented! A most enjoyable book!
