For a seminar coming up in the next two weeks, we have been tasked with writing through the eyes of somebody involved with slavery. As I imagine the role of the plantation mistress will be largely overlooked by those eager to write as slaves or masters, I took it upon myself to complete the task. … Continue reading A Day in the Life of a Plantation Mistress
africanamericanhistory
If there is no struggle, there is no progress
By far one of my favourite speeches of all time. I give you Mr Frederick Douglass, speaking in New York, 1857. Let me give you a word of the philosophy of reform. The whole history of the progress of human liberty shows that all concessions yet made to her august claims have been born of … Continue reading If there is no struggle, there is no progress
And yet the people of the free states have no guilt in slavery!
Slowly beginning work on my dissertation on racial violence and I found this article from 1834, Boston, Massachusetts. I think it really is fascinating but I can't use it because of its location, so I thought I'd share it with you guys. It is from an online archive called Accessible Archives and is followed by … Continue reading And yet the people of the free states have no guilt in slavery!
Reasons for the increase in voter turnout in the 2008 United States presidential election
Voting behavioural theory states that voters vote based on a number of key factors – region, race, gender, age, etc – meaning that any if these factors could explain the increase in voter turnout in the 2008 presidential election. Whilst neither presidential candidate was a woman, the vice presidential candidates offered some choice. However, in … Continue reading Reasons for the increase in voter turnout in the 2008 United States presidential election
The Modern Day Slave Ship
Might be a little behind on the times with this one, since it was an issue from mid-September 2014, however, I thought it was worth a little note. A Pennsylvania newspaper, the Lancaster New Era, ran a cartoon comparing the appalling conditions that African men and women were exposed to. The International Slavery Museum explains … Continue reading The Modern Day Slave Ship
The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man
James Weldon Johnson's novel describing a young boy's discovery that he is black on his path to adulthood is truly moving. I have just begun reading this 100-page marvel and am already fascinated by the journey that this anonymous narrator will take. In a fascinating and unexpected turn for someone with no prior knowledge of … Continue reading The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man
In 1,000 words, write a comparative essay discussing how two history books written by different authors can fit within historiographical categories. Define these categories, discuss any overlaps and uncertainties and reflect on what we can learn from locating books in their historiographical context.
This is a draft version of a recent essay. I have no idea where the completed one is... Probably lost in the university computer system. This is an unedited version, therefore, and may be a little waffley or mistake-ridden. History is a vast subject, spanning thousands of years of wars and conflicts, the lives of … Continue reading In 1,000 words, write a comparative essay discussing how two history books written by different authors can fit within historiographical categories. Define these categories, discuss any overlaps and uncertainties and reflect on what we can learn from locating books in their historiographical context.
Loic Wacquant’s article ‘From Slavery to Mass Incarceration’
For a seminar this morning, I have been reading a number of articles and chapters on the topic of mass incarceration in the United States. One in piqued my interest, however. Loic Wacquant's article, published in the New Left Review in early 2002, offers a fascinating theorem on the continuing confinement of African Americans. Entitled … Continue reading Loic Wacquant’s article ‘From Slavery to Mass Incarceration’
‘It was them versus me, and I was terrified.’
This is a very interesting take on Officer Wilson's testimony provided by legal scholar Patricia Wiliams: Wilson aired a series of stereotypes that pluralized Michael Brown. In the Renisha McBride case, Theodore Wafer, who was convicted in her killing, kept saying “them,” kept talking about “them.” It was them versus me, and I was terrified. … Continue reading ‘It was them versus me, and I was terrified.’
‘Hands Up, Don’t Shoot’: Comments on the Historical Implications of the Recent Deaths of Michael Brown, Tamir Rice and Others
A more serious, if quickly put together, article for my comments on some of today's big issues. My heart goes out to the families involved in any stories like the ones being repeated continually in the United States in recent times. The shootings of teenager Michael Brown in August and child Tamir Rice in the … Continue reading ‘Hands Up, Don’t Shoot’: Comments on the Historical Implications of the Recent Deaths of Michael Brown, Tamir Rice and Others
The Historian's Apprentice 