ePub Dancing Revelations: Alvin Ailey's Embodiment of African American Culture by Thomas F. DeFrantz in History

Description

The matriarch of a remarkable African American family; Sally Thomas went from being a slave on a tobacco plantation; to a "virtually free" slave who ran her own business and purchased one of her sons out of bondage. In Search of the Promised Land offers a vivid portrait of the extended Thomas-Rapier family and of the life of slaves before the Civil War. Based on family letters as well as an autobiography by one of Thomas' sons; this remarkable piece of detective work follows a singular group as they walk the boundary between slave and free; traveling across the country in search of a "promised land" where African Americans would be treated with respect. Their record of these journeys provides a vivid picture of antebellum America; stretching from New Orleans to St. Louis; from the Overland Trail to the California Gold Rush; and from Civil War battles to steamboat adventures. John Hope Franklin and Loren Schweninger weave a compelling narrative that illuminates the larger themes of slavery and freedom. To a remarkable degree; this small family experienced the full gamut of slavery; witnessing everything from the breakup of slave families; brutal punishment; and runaways; to miscegenation; insurrection panics; and slave patrols. They also illuminate the hidden lives of " virtually free" slaves; who maintained close relationships with whites; maneuvered within the system; and gained a large measure of autonomy. The Thomas-Rapiers were keen observers of the human condition. Through the eyes of this exceptional family and the indomitable black woman who held them together; we witness aspects of human bondage otherwise hidden from view.