On March 23; 1925 at the age of 66; Anna Julia Cooper stood ready to defend her dissertation before a review committee at the University of Paris. Cooper's remarkable intellectual achievement was the product of years of hard work and determination; a highly unusual journey for a child born to an enslaved mother in 1858.Her dissertation; "L'attitude de la France à L'égard de L'esclavage pendant la Révolution;" offered a bold interpretation of the French Revolution. In it; Cooper examined the relations between the 18th century revolutionists in Paris and the representatives and inhabitants of the richest of French colonies; San Domingue. She argued that the legalized slave trade became a critical issue in the struggle over the rights of man during the French Revolution and that when the revolutionists of Paris deflected the question of slavery in San Domingue; the people of France lost the opportunity to escalate their liberty and their equality. Cooper insisted that to understand the French Revolution and its repercussions; it is necessary to add the dimension of race. As an African American woman; her work provides readers with a unique and powerful perspective on these turbulent events during the French and Haitian Revolutions.Historian Frances R. Keller now makes this unique work available in English for students and scholars alike. Through her interpretive essays; Keller places Cooper's dissertation in the context of her life and scholarship. Keller also provides an essential historical look at the international events that led up to the bloody revolutions in France and Haiti.
#7315925 in Books 2016-11-14Original language:English 9.03 x .80 x 5.93l; #File Name: 0739199323308 pages
Review
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful. Buy for the ideas not the poor quality.By JayCThis study fills a much needed void on the subject and is mostly well done. My review does not reflect the quality of the ideas printed between the covers inasmuch as it is a critique of the publishing companies failure to produce a product that will last a few reads. There is no dust jacket but a printed hardcover that scars and bumps easily during shipping (fault of this website). The spine is so tightly bound that it cracks upon opening the book the first time when brand new. After reading the book; the first few pages are loose and will likely fall out next read. I am very careful with my books; and there is just no way to be more careful with the copy I was sent than to put its scarred; maimed self on the shelf and look at it. The paper quality is thick; but the images reproduced within the book should have been printed separately on glossy paper. The image quality is so poor that I've seen better reproductions on a xerox machine. I would suggest buyers check the book out from their local library if possible; or wait until there are used copies available at a cheaper price. In no way would I pay $80 for this quality of book again when I've bought bargain price books and used books of better production value. My apologies to the author because I appreciate your hard work and ideas; but unfortunately your publisher has done you a great disservice. Cut the price of the book; or print a better quality paperback. This hardcover just won't do for the scholar who relishes a book many times over or the collector who values the subject and hopes for good quality photos.
