African American History: A Very Short Introduction

The story of African American history highlights the United States' core paradoxes, challenging the idea of freedom and opportunity for all citizens. It explores how African Americans have fought for freedom and equality, from the arrival of enslaved Africans in Jamestown in 1619 to the Civil War and the Black Lives Matter movement. The author emphasizes the capacity of American citizens to realize the ideal of equality articulated in the nation's founding document.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 152 pages
Publication date: 23 February 2023
Publisher: Oxford University Press Inc

The story of African American history presents a complex and multifaceted exploration of the concept of being an American. If being American is defined by the pursuit of freedom and opportunity, then how do we understand the experiences of those who have been enslaved and faced discrimination as second-class citizens throughout their lives?

African American history sheds light on the fundamental paradoxes that define the United States. It prompts deep questions about what it means to be an American, a citizen, and a human being. This book delves into the centuries-long struggle of African Americans for freedom, tracing the origins of racialized chattel slavery in Jamestown in 1619, the eventual dismantling of that system during the Civil War, and the ongoing civil rights disputes that have persisted since Emancipation.

The Very Short Introduction continues to the Black Lives Matter movement, a grassroots activist movement that asserted the value and significance of African Americans in both the present and past. At a time when political discussions revolve around the nation's responsibility to acknowledge and potentially rectify its original sin of racialized slavery, author Jonathan Scott Holloway tells a story about the American people's capacity and willingness to embrace the ideal articulated in the founding documents of America, namely, that all people are created equal.

Through the lens of African American history, we gain a deeper understanding of the complexities and challenges that shape the American identity. It reminds us of the ongoing struggle for equality and justice and the importance of recognizing and addressing the historical legacies of discrimination and oppression. Being an American is a multifaceted and evolving concept that requires us to confront our past, embrace our diversity, and work towards a more inclusive and equitable future for all.

Weight: 150g
Dimension: 110 x 174 x 11 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780190915155