African or American?
Subtitle: Black Identity and Political Activism in New York City, 1784-1861
Publisher: University of Illinois Press
Published: August 7, 2008
Language: eng
Format: Hardcover
Number of pages: 300
ISBN-13: 9780252033360
Subjects: Ethnic Studies - African American Studies - General; United States - 19th Century; Social Science / African-American Studies; Social Science; Ethnic Issues; Sociology
Description: "During the early national and antebellum eras, black leaders in New York City confronted the tenuous nature of Northern emancipation. Despite the hope of freedom, black New Yorkers faced a series of sociopolitical issues including the persistence of Southern slavery, the threat of forced removal, racial violence, and the denial of American citizenship. Even efforts to create community space within the urban landscape, such as the African Burial Ground and Seneca Village, were eventually demolished to make way for the city's rapid development. In this illuminating history, Leslie M. Alexander chronicles the growth and development of black activism in New York from the formation of the first black organization, the African Society, in 1784 to the eve of the Civil War in 1861. In this critical period, black activists sought to formulate an effective response to their unequal freedom. Examining black newspapers, speeches, and organizational records, this study documents the creation of mutual relief, religious, and political associations, which black men and women infused with African cultural traditions and values."--BOOK JACKET.