Review of “Slavery By Another Name” By Douglas A. Blackmon

Wall Street Journal Writer Douglas Blackmon’s “Slavery By Another Name” is a somber accounting of the injustices visited on predominantly African American men in the southern convict leasing programs which existed from the 1870’s through the 1940’s. This book helps to obliterate the mythical history so many cling to that the African American experience was so wonderful after the emancipation. Most importantly, this book honors the lives of those unfortunate human beings who became trapped in this brutal and cruel system. Blackmon’s main focus is on bringing to life the story of Green Cottenham, a twenty-two year old man who was swept up into this brutal system and dies almost nameless and forgotten. There are so many other sad stories. The cruelty is heart breaking. And for what was this cruelty? For the economic gain of the corrupt and greedy white men who ran this system. And there were not a few and there were many prominent names included. While the southern white historical myths have lauded these men, in fact they were inhuman or non-human in their cruelty and greed. Their hearts must have been made of stone.

It is encouraging to see a white man who writes for one of America’s conservative newspapers do the meticulous research and put this story together is such a coherent fashion. This book is an important addition to the real history of America. It is important that other white Americans embrace this book and try to understand what really happened as versus the mythical versions of history we have so often been fed. As human beings, we should be glad that these men, the victims of this system, have not been allowed to be forgotten and that the injustices they suffered cannot be erased.

While we would like to think that this type of behavior is over, there are many instances in today’s world where people are abused and violated in many ways. The spirit of greed and corruption still exists and there are men and women, who for their own gain, would do horrible things to other human beings. We need to be mindful of this as we move in this world.

This book is a valuable read for anyone who wants true history. There are a couple other books I have read that compliment this book and give some excellent insight into the injustices and cruelties of the Jim Crow period. One is “Worse Than Slavery – Parchman Farm and the Ordeal of Jim Crow Justice” by David M. Oshinsky. The other, Robert A. Caro’s “The Years of Lyndon Johnson – Master of The Senate”, gives an excellent insight on how the southern lawmakers kept hold over our national government and prevented decent civil rights legislation from being enacted for almost ninety years. Read and do not forget.


http://www.slaverybyanothername.com/

http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/06202008/profile2.html