Free at Last

A Documentary History of Slavery, Freedom, and the Civil War

Author: Ira Berlin
ISBN: 9781565841208

"Free at Last" brings together some of the most remarkable letters ever written by Americans. Made affordable and widely available for the first time, these letters, along with personal testimony, official transcripts, and other records, are drawn from the award-winning landmark reference volumes originally published by Cambridge University Press under the title "Freedom: A Documentary History of Emancipation."With great immediacy, the letters depict the drama of emancipation in the midst of the nation's bloodiest conflict, and convey the struggle of black men and women to overthrow the slave system, to aid the Union cause as laborers and soldiers, and to give meaning to their newly won freedom in a war-torn nation. The documents also show the active role of slaves and former slaves in transforming a war for the Union into a war against slavery, demonstrating, according to the "Journal of American History," "that the destruction of slavery was accomplished through black self-determinat

Publisher: The New Press
Publish Date: 1992

Subjects: History / United States / 19th Century, History / United States / Civil War Period (1850-1877), Social Science / Ethnic Studies / African American Studies

This book is available in the following Community Centers: Cross-Cultural Center (Location: Black/African American (BLCK))