slavery

Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl (Dover Thrift Editions)
$3.50
Wow! Where do I start? This novel is the epitome of a well-rounded slavery novel! The details were nothing short of amazing! At any given moment, I can find myself vividly imagining the scenery and ambience that the novel speaks of! This is one of my favorite pieces of literature and I believe everyone should experience this vivid account of Harriet's difficult ascent from slavery to freedom. I only wish there was something to tell of how Harriet's life progressed where the novel leaves off.

Slavery and the Making of America
$79.99
I have watched and re-watched this series on PBS, and with each episode I always go away having learned something. The researchers and writers were thorough, the re-enactments are well-played*, and the tempo of each segment is appropriate. Morgan Freeman is the perfect choice for a narrator (even better than Whoopie Goldberg in Unchained Memories); he speaks like a wise, maturing uncle versed in the intricacies of a long, unpleasant family history.

My favorite segments are those on David Walker's call to resistance; a certain Miss Freeman, who successfully sued for her freedom; and Col. Tye's band of 18th century guerilla warriors.

*Such re-enactments, when accurately presented, are essential to helping viewers understand the realities of the era, as there are so few photographs and no moving pictures in existence from this lengthy period in American history. (As the narrator says, "America was a slave-holding society longer than it has been a 'free' society.")

Inhuman Bondage: The Rise and Fall of Slavery in the New World
$18.95
It's hard to imagine that anyone ever believed that slavery was a good thing, not just for the masters but also for the slaves, but guess what - as an institution it's probably as old as mankind and nobody ever had a problem with it until it became industrialized on the New World's sugar and cotton plantations. Davis tells this complex story with authority, backing up his thesis with hard data. He writes very well, and his erudition, professionalism and scholarship show through on every page. It's an excellent history of slavery and abolition, and leaves the reader with a lot of food for thought.

Lest We Forget: The Passage from Africa to Slavery and Emancipation: A Three-Dimensional Interactive Book with Photographs and Documents from the Black Holocaust Exhibit
$32.50
"Lest We Forget" is a totally unique book. As the subtitle suggests, it is a three-dimensional, interactive book on the history of African Americans from capture to emancipation. With photographs and documents from the Black Holocaust Exhibit, it provides a tactile, touch and feel, show and tell sense that no other book can offer. It is like a visit to a museum in your own home.

Reviewer: Bob Kellemen, Ph.D., is the author of Beyond the Suffering: Embracing the Legacy of African American Soul Care and Spiritual Direction , Soul Physicians, and Spiritual Friends.