In the Shadow of Freedom The Politics of Slavery in the National Capital
In the Shadow of Freedom: The Politics of Slavery in the National Capital by Paul Finkelman, published by Ohio University Press on May 3, 2011, offers an insightful examination of the complex relationship between slavery and the political landscape of early America. This 248-page book delves into the role of enslaved individuals in the nation’s capital, highlighting how they supported the operations of government while lawmakers grappled with the implications of slavery in a republic that prided itself on freedom.
Readers will find a collection of essays from distinguished historians that address the dual themes of how slavery was integral to life in Washington, D.C., and how it was regulated by lawmakers. The work engages with topics such as legal history and the cultural implications of slavery, providing a nuanced understanding of the social dynamics at play in the capital. This edition is presented in English and is designed to contribute to the broader discourse on slavery and its enduring impact on American society.
Official synopsis Publisher
Few images of early America were more striking, and jarring, than that of slaves in the capital city of the world’s most important free republic. Black slaves served and sustained the legislators, bureaucrats, jurists, cabinet officials, military leaders, and even the presidents who lived and worked there. While slaves quietly kept the nation’s capital running smoothly, lawmakers debated the place of slavery in the nation, the status of slavery in the territories newly acquired from Mexico, and even the legality of the slave trade in itself. In the Shadow of Freedom, with essays by some of the most distinguished historians in the nation, explores the twin issues of how slavery made life possible in the District and how lawmakers in the District regulated slavery in the nation.
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