Slavery to Liberation: The African American Experience - 2nd Edition

Reviewed by Mamadou Seck, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, Cleveland State University on 6/22/23

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

The book covers severals topics relevant to the course content. Many articles can be offered to students for reading to illustrate the course content and be used in discussion assignments. It covers relevant articles on slavery and race relations in the United States.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

The book content is accurate and reflects the current state of knowledge in the areas of slavery, race relations, African American education, American Institutions, and African American youth, critical issues in African American health.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

The content is up-to-date and covers several areas including Slavery, race relations, the current health concerns related to the status of African Americans in the US.

Clarity rating: 5

In sum, the text is written in lucid accessible prose. Only two articles did I assess that could be a little confusing for some students:
Chapter 3....................................................................................................... 27
Gumboot Dancing and Steppin’: Origins, Parallels, and Uses in the Classroom
Nicola Mason
Chapter 5.................................................................................................... 74
Some Notes on the History of Black Sexuality in the United States
John P. Elia

Consistency rating: 5

I found the terms used relevant and appropriate to the topic, significant in the context of race relations during and after slavery.
Regarding the framework, I find a lot of similarity on the articles' framework as concepts are illustrated with examples such as in Aaron Thompson's article "Introduction to the African American Experience," when the author talked about the experience of Phillis Wheatley as an exemple.

Modularity rating: 5

Thi book entitled "Slavery to Liberation" includes 20 chapters. Each chapter reflects some aspects of the Afrian American life in the United States between Slavery period to the current state of our country.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

The book framework shows a logical progression from slavery to the present time. The titles of the 20 chapters show a progression from the arrival of slaves, life in slavery, identity issues within the American population, race relations, educational issues in the US, and the consequences of slavery.

Interface rating: 5

The framework shows a consistency in the included themes; therefore there is an easy navigation from one article to another.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

The text are well written and I did not find grammatical errors.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

I did not see any insensitive remark.

Comments

Almost all the articles in this book can be used in my class. I have had the opportunity to use some of them in replacement assignments I offer to students who missed some scheduled assignments. These assignments required them to summarize the chapter content first and then to indicate their reactions to the content. There reflections reflected shared feelings and significant adhesion to the themes.

Reviewed by Leah Hagedorn, Professor of History, Tidewater Community College on 4/17/23

Comprehensiveness rating: 1 see less

(See full review below)

Content Accuracy rating: 3

(See full review below)

Relevance/Longevity rating: 4

(See full review below)

Clarity rating: 4

(See full review below)

Consistency rating: 4

(See full review below)

Modularity rating: 5

(See full review below)

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 4

(See full review below)

Interface rating: 3

(See full review below)

Grammatical Errors rating: 4

(See full review below)

Cultural Relevance rating: 3

(See full review below)

Comments

African American history courses urgently need OER resources. While the 2022 edition of this anthology cannot replace a textbook for introductory courses, a number of chapters work as supplementary readings. Umeme Sababu’s engaging analysis of the Black Panther Party and Kevin G. McQueeney’s persuasive piece on the “deep connection between the field of medicine and the overall treatment and perception of African Americans” offer thought-provoking resources for students. Leroy Myers’ chapter on freedmen who became full members of American Indian tribes offers useful insights to help students consider the meanings of emancipation and definitions of freedom.
On the subject of migrations, Thomas Keefe’s chapter on Liberia and the American Colonization Society, Oran Kennedy’s chapter, “Enslaved African American Families and Escape to the U.S. North and Canada, 1800-1861,” and Jonathan S. Lower’s work on Blues legend Blind Lemon Jefferson offer important perspectives.
Chapters by Jayne R. Beilke, Sekhmet Ra Em Kht Maat, and Shelby Pumphrey may be of special interest to education students. All chapters offer useful discussion questions and thoughtful writing prompts.

Reviewed by Grace Gipson, Assistant Professor, Virginia Commonwealth University on 9/5/22

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

This is a text that offers a wide-reaching approach to the field African American Studies and the overall Black experience. This is useful so that multiple perspectives are brought to the forefront. It is also a very readable text that can be used on multiple grade levels. The stories that are being shared are ones that in the past have been given a cursory discussion or minimal engagement.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

The text is accurate and introduces and array of less discussed topics (i.e. Black women experiences during the Civil Rights era, race and new media, race and beauty)in a very inviting manner.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

This text is a very necessary and needed collection. Students and teachers will find the material engaging and thought-provoking. As an edited collection, it provides a clear and relevant interdisciplinary analysis of curated historical and contemporary issues that discuss the early interpretations and origins of anti-Blackness and white supremacy in the United States. It also covers topics such as health and religion, which are discussed in specialized books, but less in overall/general texts such as this one.

Clarity rating: 4

The text provides various disciplinary viewpoints (ex. political, cultural, artistic, religious) that speak to the African American experience. Therefore, allowing multiple readers (students, teachers, scholars, activists) access to the content. Due the language not being heavy, all readers will be able to see and understand the multiple stories that are being told.

Consistency rating: 4

The text provides a consistent flow as it relates to content, language, and chapter framework.

Modularity rating: 4

There is a nice balance between the chapters being in chronological order and topical information. While each chapter offers new and different content, there is still a common thread throughout each one which serves as a connective tissue.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 4

Each chapter has a clear flow into the next. The introduction does a great job of setting the scene of the entire text. Having the background of the importance of diverse pedagogy and storytelling, discussions on the impact and legacy of enslavement and ultimate liberation offer the reader a gateway into what is to come with each chapter.

Interface rating: 4

No issues with the interface, great quality of the images, and no problems with the embedded links.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

There were no issues with grammar.

Cultural Relevance rating: 4

This is a very inclusive text and speaks to the many experiences of African Americans. It could be strengthened with additional images that speak/connect to the content discussed in each chapter.

Comments

In addition to being a comprehensive and rich text, I was also quite enamored with the texts covers. It introduces and showcases a joyful spirit, which is followed by a complex and informative topic.

Reviewed by William Devine, Adjunct Art Dept., Holyoke Community College on 6/20/21

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

From the 15th century to the 21st Century African American history is American history. The text is gives numerous examples throughout history what transpired to precipitate the color black as a negative image be it the color of someones skin to hats, horses, evil demons, the night in general and even our souls.

Content Accuracy rating: 4

Historical facts starting in the first chapter to the last gives us a wonderful view of what actually happened. Dealing with "the colored line",NAACP, Brown vs Topeka Board of Education,Black Power, Gumboot dancing,Underground Railroad,Emancipation Proclamation,Tulsa's Greenwood district, Jim Crow Laws and The Civil Rights Act of 1964 then accuracy stood tall.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 4

If there ever was a time and place for this textbook, it is now. This text could stand alone or beside books like, Notes of a Native Son-Baldwin,The Souls of Black Folk by W.E.B DuBois, James McBride- The Color of Water, Colson Whitehead's Underground Railroad and Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates

Clarity rating: 4

"GUMBOOT DANCING AND STEPPIN’ AS A TOOL FOR DEVELOPING CULTURALLY SENSITIVE LISTENERS South African gumboot dancing and African American Steppin’ are both current, authentic vehicles for teaching students of all ages about the historical, societal, and 45 aesthetic values of their relevant countries." The text keeps things in perspective.

Consistency rating: 4

The terminology and framework are consistent throughout the textbook. It brings language to the emotional structures that make discussions about racial attitudes a social engagement.

Modularity rating: 5

The text is divisible with good discussion questions at the end of each chapter.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

The text is a give-a-way to the organizations parts- "Slavery to Liberation"

Interface rating: 4

I think each chapter could lead to healthy discussions that may lead a class to further investigate some chapter further.

Grammatical Errors rating: 4

I couldn't fine any grammatical errors in the text.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

The text is not culturally insensitive or offensive in any way. It makes use of examples that are inclusive of a variety of races, ethnicities, and backgrounds.

Comments

Frederick Douglass described the practice of forced separation of enslaved children from their parents as “a marked feature of the cruelty and barbarity of the slave system.” The culture of complicity can be seen throughout American history. As Voltair once said "Every man is guilty of all the good he did not do."

Reviewed by Tom Reifer, Professor, University of San Diego on 5/3/21

Comprehensiveness rating: 3 see less

A book that ranges so far as this cannot really ever be said to be comprehensive, but that being said, this text
gives a fairly wide range of coverage, with generally good or impressive use of sources, despite occasional areas
that one might want to emphasize more.

Content Accuracy rating: 3

Not sure what unbiased means in this context, but generally speaking, the sources seem useful, citing outstanding scholars in their respective fields.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 3

Given the historical nature of the overview, the book manages to be current, while at the same time incorporating information that will likely stand the test of time.

Clarity rating: 4

Overall, the book seem to me to be clear for students at many levels to understand.

Consistency rating: 3

Appeared consistent to me.

Modularity rating: 4

Books modularity seemed fairly strong to me.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 4

I thought the topics were arranged in a useful fashion for introductory students.

Interface rating: 4

I found the interface quite easy.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

From my reading, grammar seemed on target.

Cultural Relevance rating: 4

The book was useful in looking at the intersections of racial, and the social construction of race and ethnicity, for example among African Americans and Native Americans.

Comments

There are a few areas that I thought might be expanded on, for example Aldon Morris's work on the Black Church as an agency-laden institution, as well as the possible incorporation of recently published posthumous works by Claude McKay, Romance in Marseille (Penguin 2020), that expands our understanding of the Harlem Renaissance, and has relevance for questions of Disability Studies, alternately called People With Disabilities (PwD), or those who are differently abled.

Reviewed by Nemata Blyden, Professor, The George Washington University on 1/31/21

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

The book is very comprehensive in its breadth and depth, fulfilling its aim to expose students to African American experiences.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

As far as I can tell, not being a specialist in all the disciplines represented, the book's content, from the perspectives they take, is accurate.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

Themes covered by the book are relevant. While some of the. material addressing contemporary issues (e.g Chapter on African American incumbents) may become dated, their relevance is not diminished.

Clarity rating: 5

While some chapters are stronger than others in this respect, for the most part, they are accessible.

Consistency rating: 4

This is a difficult question to answer for this book because it is an edited volume and the chapters are written by scholars from various disciplines and fields. Having said that, because of the focus on African American experiences consistency is maintained.

Modularity rating: 5

Yes. Because it is a book that discusses many aspects of African American experiences, and is one that was designed for a specific course in mind, it succeeds as far as modularity is concerned.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

The book flows well. I like the way it presents historical material earlier in the book giving a context for later chapters.

Interface rating: 5

I found no problems.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

All the chapters were well written.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

Because this text focuses on a historically underrepresented population it is culturally sensitive.

Comments

The book, with its single authored chapters representing different disciplines, allowed the reader to examine many elements of African American experiences from different perspectives. I particularly appreciated that many of the chapters were based on original research done by the authors themselves. The chapters addressed topics not often found in general books focusing on black experiences. From Powell's examination on notions of beauty to Andrew Smith's look at the "cultural diplomacy of sport," to Riley's look at Black political incumbents, this book gives us a glimpse into the multidimensional lives of African Americans.