This is the epic story of how African-Americans; in the six decades following slavery; transformed themselves into a political people--an embryonic black nation. As Steven Hahn demonstrates; rural African-Americans were central political actors in the great events of disunion; emancipation; and nation-building. At the same time; Hahn asks us to think in more expansive ways about the nature and boundaries of politics and political practice.Emphasizing the importance of kinship; labor; and networks of communication; A Nation under Our Feet explores the political relations and sensibilities that developed under slavery and shows how they set the stage for grassroots mobilization. Hahn introduces us to local leaders; and shows how political communities were built; defended; and rebuilt. He also identifies the quest for self-governance as an essential goal of black politics across the rural South; from contests for local power during Reconstruction; to emigrationism; biracial electoral alliances; social separatism; and; eventually; migration.Hahn suggests that Garveyism and other popular forms of black nationalism absorbed and elaborated these earlier struggles; thus linking the first generation of migrants to the urban North with those who remained in the South. He offers a new framework--looking out from slavery--to understand twentieth-century forms of black political consciousness as well as emerging battles for civil rights. It is a powerful story; told here for the first time; and one that presents both an inspiring and a troubling perspective on American democracy.
#1501634 in Books Simon Schuster 1993-02-01Ingredients: Example IngredientsOriginal language:EnglishPDF # 1 10.00 x 6.50 x 1.25l; #File Name: 067167708X444 pages
Review
0 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Five StarsBy Ray SmithGreat condition2 of 5 people found the following review helpful. excellent service!By bami wish they had other shipping options available because it took a little long for my book to come; but it came in brand new; like the description said; very satisfied! and i will be ordering from them again.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. A MARVELOUS AND THOROUGH STUDY OF BLACK FAMILIESBy Steven H ProppAt the time he wrote this 1992 book; Andrew Billingsley was Professor and Chair; Department of Family and Community Development at the University of Maryland."He wrote in the Introduction; "But to say that black families are alive is not to say that they are all faring well... But there is another side to the story. And we argue in this book that this other side---enduring; positive; and powerful--is more important because it is more generative. It can continually renew and sustain this vital sector of American society in the years ahead."Here are some quotations from the book:"It is perhaps the height of irony that while social scientists were describing black families as being characterized by a tendency toward female-headed families with children born out of wedlock; they were also assuring the public that blacks rejected these children. At the very same time the transracial adoption movement was being championed as a solution to the problem; blood relatives accepted a majority of these children into their families. This is still the case today." (Pg. 29)"In short; the common misconception that African-American families are characterized by single-parent; female-headed structures is as misleading as is the widespread assumption that they got that way because of factors internal to their culture." (Pg. 35)"Consequently; we argued that by changing the structure of social institutions so that they would function as well for blacks as they do for whites; and as well for female-headed families as they do for male-headed families; and as well for poor families as they do for more priviliged families; both family stability and more effective family functioning would follow." (Pg. 79)"(T)he African-American family. It is characterized now as then by its marticentrism; its extended families; and its remarkable flexibility; adaptability; and resilience." (Pg. 107)"Why; then; do more black men cross this racial line than black women? ... It is difficult to avoid the suggestions that white men are the major obstacles to intermarriage. Their attitudes are changing; however; though they have changed more slowly than those of white women." (Pg. 254-255)
