Accident of Color: A Story of Race in Reconstruction

In The Accident of Color, Daniel Brook explores nineteenth-century New Orleans and Charleston, where cosmopolitan residents of mixed race enjoyed rights of citizenship and social status before the Civil War. After Emancipation, a movement arose to achieve political and social equality for all, but this was eventually swept away by a violent political backlash and expunged from history books, leading to the Jim Crow laws that legalized segregation for a half century.

Format: Hardback
Length: 336 pages
Publication date: 21 June 2019
Publisher: WW Norton & Co

In his captivating book, "The Accident of Color," Daniel Brook takes us on a journey to nineteenth-century New Orleans and Charleston, where he introduces us to a cosmopolitan group of individuals who defy the racial categories that are taken for granted in the rest of America. Before the Civil War, these free, openly mixed-race urbanites enjoyed certain rights of citizenship and the privileges of wealth and social status. However, the aftermath of Emancipation brought about a significant shift as former slaves sought to assert their rights and challenge the black-white binary that governs the nation. During Reconstruction, a movement emerged, bringing together mixed-race elites and formerly enslaved individuals, as well as allies at the margins of whiteness, in an effort to achieve political and social equality for all.

In certain regions, this coalition achieved remarkable success. Activists successfully integrated the streetcars of Charleston and New Orleans for decades, even managing to educate students of all backgrounds side by side in the New Orleans public schools and the University of South Carolina. Unfortunately, the achievements of this movement were tragically undone by a violent political backlash that erased their contributions from history books. This backlash culminated in the enactment of the Jim Crow laws, which legalized segregation for half a century and established the binary racial regime that continues to shape our society today.

"The Accident of Color" serves as a powerful reminder of a crucial juncture in American history. By delving into the origins of our nation's singularly narrow racial system, which was born out of opposition to civil rights, Brook sheds light on the underlying racial myths that govern our lives. Through his insightful analysis and compelling storytelling, he challenges us to confront the false narratives that perpetuate inequality and discrimination and work towards a more inclusive and equitable society.

Weight: 626g
Dimension: 165 x 246 x 36 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780393247442