The view that slavery could best be described by those who had themselves experienced it personally has found expression in several thousand commentaries; autobiographies; narratives; and interviews with those who "endured." Although most of these accounts appeared before the Civil War; more than one-third are the result of the ambitious efforts of the Federal Writers' Project of the Works Progress Administration (WPA) to interview surviving ex-slaves during the 1930s. The result of these efforts was the Slave Narrative Collection; a group of autobiographical accounts of former slaves that today stands as one of the most enduring and noteworthy achievements of the WPA. Compiled in seventeen states during the years 1936-38; the collection consists of more than two thousand interviews with former slaves; most of them first-person accounts of slave life and the respondents' own reactions to bondage. The interviews afforded aged ex-slaves an unparalleled opportunity to give their personal accounts of life under the "peculiar institution;" to describe in their own words what it felt like to be a slave in the United States.―Norman R. Yetman; American Memory; Library of CongressThis paperback edition of selected Mississippi narratives is reprinted in facsimile from the typewritten pages of the interviewers; just as they were originally typed.
#2246652 in Books Firefly Books 2004-11-06Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 12.75 x 1.63 x 11.25l; .0 #File Name: 1552979644496 pages
Review
4 of 6 people found the following review helpful. Sad time in our civilization.By Willie BGulag: Life and Death Inside the Soviet Concentration CampsThis is a pictoral book that defies description. It shows a very sad time in our civilization; man's inhumanity to man. It is a phenomenol reminder of a time no one should forget.5 of 5 people found the following review helpful. Great Photographic Book - But Keep Open MindBy KinoChelovekThe photographs and historical references in this oversize; heavy book are great. I have used this book for its photographs for several projects. The book covers many of the infamous camps of the GULag system; including Solovki (Islands); Kolyma; and Vorkuta. The book is divided into sections involving the history of each; along with historical and present-day photographs that give a glimpse into the horrors and eventual disintegration of the towns and camps themselves. There are also interviews by those who lived in the camps and surrounding areas who witnessed the horrors of the camps and the horrid conditions (man-made and natural) that were somewhat occluded during the GULag system's life.My major problem with the book; and this should really be taken with any book on subjects with deep; emotional; long-existing ties (the Holocaust is an example) is that the historical writings often sway into emotions; and those emotions can obscure historical accuracy. Yes; the GULag camp system was horrid; but personal emotions often create strong biases leading to inaccuracies. Does this diminish this book. Yes; somewhat. After reading historical writings like Applebaum's "Gulag;" I tend to try to find more objectivity in my readings. Kizny seems to be caught up in his emotions to give accuracy in the writings contained in this book; and there are instances in this book where the photographs do; too. If one reads Solzhenitsyn's "Gulag Archipelago;" you will understand what I mean.Kizny's photos in this book are often used online and in other books. Again; this book is an excellent source for historical photographs.I give the book 4 1/2 of 5 ( won't allow 1/2 stars) for the photographs and history. The 1/2 star less is for the emotional biases in the writings. Take the writings with a grain of salt.11 of 11 people found the following review helpful. A brutal reminder of horrible timesBy James D. CrabtreeThe Gulag system of slave labor camps is rarely brought up and never compared to the death camps run by the nazis. Yet millions lost their lives in them; and they were not just Russians either: Ukrainians; Latvians; Finns; Uzbeks; Armenians; Poles; Czechs; Germans; Spaniards and even some Americans wound up in the meat grinder that was the communist response to opposition; both real and imagined. Run by the secret police; photography was officially forbidden and yet the author of this book has managed to locate photos of select aspects of the Gulag; as well as current photos which show the results of forced labor.This is a very haunting book but does not begin to touch the horror that was the Gulag system. The eyes of the lost look back at you; many of them guards and prison administrators before the system caught up with them as well.
