Jane posts a link to a recent NYT story about the discovery of two meticulously detailed diaries from the slave era. The Turnage and Washington narratives offer a wealth of historical detail and personal insights into the cruelties suffered daily by enslaved Americans.
The "I Was A Slave" series being published by American Legacy Books offers first-hand reports of slave life from hundreds of freed slaves. During the New Deal, President Roosevelt commissioned a massive oral history project in which survivors of the slave era were interviewed about their experiences. Donna Wyant Howell has been laboriously compiling excerpts from the transcripts of thousands of interviews. Currently six books are available of a projected series of 24. These may be purchased at a very affordable price from American Legacy Books. (I bought the first four as soon as they became available, and I've just ordered the latest two.)
American Legacy also accepts donations. Please take a moment to visit their website, and consider purchasing the books - or even making a donation - if you possibly can. As Americans, we have a duty to understand the horror of enslavement, and to value our freedom.
