Comments for Slavery By Another Name http://www.slaverybyanothername.com Just another WordPress weblog Sat, 04 Jul 2009 00:55:30 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7.1 hourly 1 Comment on Thanks again for the tremendous reception for the book by admin http://www.slaverybyanothername.com/book-blog/thanks-again-for-the-tremendous-reception-for-the-book/comment-page-1/#comment-4464 admin Wed, 03 Jun 2009 02:44:27 +0000 http://www.slaverybyanothername.com/?p=52#comment-4464 Hello, Thank you so much for writing and sharing with me the story of your great grandfather. It's hugely gratifying for me that the book has helped many families to better understand their own pasts and the difficult lives experienced by forebears. I continue to research the stories of African-American families that lived through difficult times such as your great grandfathers. Best regards, Doug Blackmon Hello,
Thank you so much for writing and sharing with me the story of your great grandfather. It’s hugely gratifying for me that the book has helped many families to better understand their own pasts and the difficult lives experienced by forebears. I continue to research the stories of African-American families that lived through difficult times such as your great grandfathers.
Best regards,
Doug Blackmon

]]> Comment on Thanks again for the tremendous reception for the book by Irish Hayes http://www.slaverybyanothername.com/book-blog/thanks-again-for-the-tremendous-reception-for-the-book/comment-page-1/#comment-4300 Irish Hayes Sat, 30 May 2009 02:50:27 +0000 http://www.slaverybyanothername.com/?p=52#comment-4300 Mr. Blackman thank you for the many hours you spent in bringing this masterpiece to us. I did not learn of your book until May of 2009. I happened to be watching C-span late one night and saw your appearance at a University in Georgia. I purchased the book shortly afterward, I feel so cheated by not having this true history taught to me in high school 35 years ago. I had to stop reading the book at certain sections because I was overcome with emotion because of the inhumane treatment I was reading about. I have finally finished reading the book. I continue to share what I have learned with my family and others. When visiting my mother recently, I shared some of the facts in the book with her. She showed me a journal that her grandfather kept during 1934-1939. He was a sharecropper in SC. He noted the different farms he and his family worked. He also kept a list of suplies purchased from the land owner. He noted how many hours were spent each day plowing, planting cotton, corn, peas or tobacco. He even mentions the little money he had left after settling the account with the land owner. The journal is 75 years old. I am copying his writings in a word document file so it can be shared with his great-grandchildren and great- great grandchildren. Your book has inspired me to undertake this important task. Thank you again for you book! Irish Hayes Mr. Blackman thank you for the many hours you spent in bringing this masterpiece to us. I did not learn of your book until May of 2009. I happened to be watching C-span late one night and saw your appearance at a University in Georgia. I purchased the book shortly afterward,
I feel so cheated by not having this true history taught to me in high school 35 years ago. I had to stop reading the book at certain sections because I was overcome with emotion because of the inhumane treatment I was reading about. I have finally finished reading the book. I continue to share what I have learned with my family and others.
When visiting my mother recently, I shared some of the facts in the book with her. She showed me a journal that her grandfather kept during 1934-1939. He was a sharecropper in SC. He noted the different farms he and his family worked. He also kept a list of suplies purchased from the land owner. He noted how many hours were spent each day plowing, planting cotton, corn, peas or tobacco. He even mentions the little money he had left after settling the account with the land owner.
The journal is 75 years old. I am copying his writings in a word document file so it can be shared with his great-grandchildren and great- great grandchildren.

Your book has inspired me to undertake this important task.

Thank you again for you book!

Irish Hayes

]]> Comment on Thanks again for the tremendous reception for the book by PB http://www.slaverybyanothername.com/book-blog/thanks-again-for-the-tremendous-reception-for-the-book/comment-page-1/#comment-4139 PB Wed, 27 May 2009 09:25:55 +0000 http://www.slaverybyanothername.com/?p=52#comment-4139 By chance I happened upon the author at a recent book review. His book is consistent with the attitude and behavior I have suffered from southern whites all of my sixty-eight years. One memory etched in my mind was a car trip the family took when I was about eight from Texas to Tennessee. We came upon this vast cotton farm in rural Arkansas. There were cotton pickers as far as the eye could see. Looking back on that scene and having the benefit of Mr. Blackmon's revolutionary book, I can't help but feel that those folks were subject to some form of indentured control. It could have been the old company store crime. That of eternal indebtness. But, that is for another book. Only a white southerner could have written this book. Maybe, there is a god. By chance I happened upon the author at a recent book review. His book is consistent with the attitude and behavior I have suffered from southern whites all of my sixty-eight years. One memory etched in my mind was a car trip the family took when I was about eight from Texas to Tennessee. We came upon this vast cotton farm in rural Arkansas. There were cotton pickers as far as the eye could see. Looking back on that scene and having the benefit of Mr. Blackmon’s revolutionary book, I can’t help but feel that those folks were subject to some form of indentured control. It could have been the old company store crime. That of eternal indebtness. But, that is for another book. Only a white southerner could have written this book. Maybe, there is a god.

]]> Comment on Humbling Response by voguishchic http://www.slaverybyanothername.com/book-blog/humbling-response/comment-page-1/#comment-3520 voguishchic Tue, 05 May 2009 04:29:14 +0000 http://www.slaverybyanothername.com/?p=54#comment-3520 wow. so informative. keep up the good work. wow. so informative. keep up the good work.

]]> Comment on Thanks again for the tremendous reception for the book by Pamela Curry http://www.slaverybyanothername.com/book-blog/thanks-again-for-the-tremendous-reception-for-the-book/comment-page-1/#comment-3166 Pamela Curry Sun, 26 Apr 2009 15:24:53 +0000 http://www.slaverybyanothername.com/?p=52#comment-3166 This is such an important book. Until I read Slavery by Another Name I did not know there was a mirror world of recent slavery even more completely swept under the carpet than the original version. I finished the book last night and my head is still spinning not only with the magnitude of atrocity, terrorism and social outrage committed against millions of innocent people for such a long time, but with the light it sheds on so much we see today. I’m unnerved by the cautionary implications of how the Plessy v. Ferguson ruling managed to subvert our whole nation’s morality and do so much damage. Even more distressing is the reality that those who knew about neo-slavery, understood how wrong it was and tried whatever they could to stop it were unable to make any difference at all. Thank you Mr. Blackmon for documenting this truth and providing it to us all, and thank you also for the humanity that comes through your writing. Believe me, it was a necessary balm for getting through such a stomach-turning onslaught of recorded horrors. The Epilogue was charming and hopeful. I hope you have sent Mr. Louis Cottingham a copy of your Pulitzer winning book and that he will be happy with his family’s role in enlightening people like me who now admire his dignity and perseverance through such evil times. This is such an important book. Until I read Slavery by Another Name I did not know there was a mirror world of recent slavery even more completely swept under the carpet than the original version. I finished the book last night and my head is still spinning not only with the magnitude of atrocity, terrorism and social outrage committed against millions of innocent people for such a long time, but with the light it sheds on so much we see today.

I’m unnerved by the cautionary implications of how the Plessy v. Ferguson ruling managed to subvert our whole nation’s morality and do so much damage. Even more distressing is the reality that those who knew about neo-slavery, understood how wrong it was and tried whatever they could to stop it were unable to make any difference at all.

Thank you Mr. Blackmon for documenting this truth and providing it to us all, and thank you also for the humanity that comes through your writing. Believe me, it was a necessary balm for getting through such a stomach-turning onslaught of recorded horrors. The Epilogue was charming and hopeful. I hope you have sent Mr. Louis Cottingham a copy of your Pulitzer winning book and that he will be happy with his family’s role in enlightening people like me who now admire his dignity and perseverance through such evil times.

]]> Comment on Thanks again for the tremendous reception for the book by Ann starr and Oz Nelson http://www.slaverybyanothername.com/book-blog/thanks-again-for-the-tremendous-reception-for-the-book/comment-page-1/#comment-3121 Ann starr and Oz Nelson Sat, 25 Apr 2009 21:45:12 +0000 http://www.slaverybyanothername.com/?p=52#comment-3121 Dear Doug, Oz and I were delighted to hear about your Pulitzer Prize award. What an extraordinary and well deserved honor! Do you remember that Oz and I met you when you joined Jon Abercrombie, Becky Butler and me at the American Assembly at Callaway Gardens? You were working on your book at that time and you discussed it with a small group of us at one of our planning meetings. It seems a little amazing to have been present somewhere near the birth of a star! Thank you for your book, for your commitment to truth and for your excellent work. We are so happy for you. Ann Starr and Oz Nelson Dear Doug,

Oz and I were delighted to hear about your Pulitzer Prize award. What an extraordinary and well deserved honor!

Do you remember that Oz and I met you when you joined Jon Abercrombie, Becky Butler and me at the American Assembly at Callaway Gardens? You were working on your book at that time and you discussed it with a small group of us at one of our planning meetings. It seems a little amazing to have been present somewhere near the birth of a star!

Thank you for your book, for your commitment to truth and for your excellent work. We are so happy for you.

Ann Starr and Oz Nelson

]]> Comment on After seven long years… by Indyreader http://www.slaverybyanothername.com/book-blog/after-seven-long-years/comment-page-1/#comment-3111 Indyreader Sat, 25 Apr 2009 16:25:57 +0000 http://www.slaverybyanothername.com/?p=58#comment-3111 I just saw Mr. Blackmon on a taped appearance on C-Span (4/25/09). It has always been painful for me to see photos of Blacks being hanged or tortured for no other reason than that they were caught up in a very violent and racist period of U.S. history. Whenever I read about that period of man’s inhumanity for man, I am reminded how it is remarkable, that Black Americans have managed to survive and even thrive to this day. For me, it is easy to see how free labor (slavery) contributed to building the American economy. It is more difficult to understand how anyone who truly knows the history of slavery and race relations in this country can be against economic reparations for African Americans. The logistics of such is another issue. I can not, like many Blacks and Whites, pretend that the inequities between the races, by any measure, is simply due to Blacks having lack of initiative, intelligence, etc. What I will continue to do is ask God to allow me to continue to accept and respect all mankind reqardless of the torture (including waterboarding) and other degradating acts visited upon my ancestors. The effects of those horrendous acts of violence linger today, seen only by those who truly know the history of this country. Thank you, Mr. Blackmon, for your efforts to shed light on a very dark time in the United States. I just saw Mr. Blackmon on a taped appearance on C-Span (4/25/09). It has always been painful for me to see photos of Blacks being hanged or tortured for no other reason than that they were caught up in a very violent and racist period of U.S. history. Whenever I read about that period of man’s inhumanity for man, I am reminded how it is remarkable, that Black Americans have managed to survive and even thrive to this day. For me, it is easy to see how free labor (slavery) contributed to building the American economy. It is more difficult to understand how anyone who truly knows the history of slavery and race relations in this country can be against economic reparations for African Americans. The logistics of such is another issue. I can not, like many Blacks and Whites, pretend that the inequities between the races, by any measure, is simply due to Blacks having lack of initiative, intelligence, etc.
What I will continue to do is ask God to allow me to continue to accept and respect all mankind reqardless of the torture (including waterboarding) and other degradating acts visited upon my ancestors. The effects of those horrendous acts of violence linger today, seen only by those who truly know the history of this country. Thank you, Mr. Blackmon, for your efforts to shed light on a very dark time in the United States.

]]> Comment on Thanks again for the tremendous reception for the book by Gerard Burke http://www.slaverybyanothername.com/book-blog/thanks-again-for-the-tremendous-reception-for-the-book/comment-page-1/#comment-1402 Gerard Burke Fri, 27 Mar 2009 18:46:55 +0000 http://www.slaverybyanothername.com/?p=52#comment-1402 [My apologies for reposting my comments, but the editor in me saw a few errors that needed fixing.--GSN As an African American, I can sympathize with Ms. Booker’s frustration about the race of the author who produced “Slavery by Another Name.” There is no doubt in my mind that this book would have not have received its present level of recognition had it been written by a black man. The deeply embedded racism that supported the exploitative practices your book have manifest themselves in the systematic devaluation, marginalization, and discredit of similar efforts by a black man in the past and continue to do so today. Preeminent scholars such as DuBois (“Souls of the Black Folk”) and renowned novelists such as John O. Killens (“Youngblood”) both have referenced neo-slavery in their writings that draw amazingly little notice by most Americans. So effectively has America’s educational system ignored these and other black authors that they become known only to some college students, history buffs, or independent-thinking intellects rather than to the millions who could benefit educationally, socially, and psychologically from a national storytelling more transparent than the a myth-ridden history they have been fed. Even so, sharing Ms. Booker’s frustrations does not diminish my admiration for the author’s dogged pursuit of truth regarding this most sordid and thinly reported chapter of American history. Nor does it blind me to the realization that your race likely provided certain distinct advantages, in terms of access to information, availability of respected platforms, and presumed credibility, that a black author may have found difficult to match. It’s not unrealistic to assume that your reception in county courthouses, local libraries, and other repositories would have been much chillier and problematic had you been a black man. Although the thoroughness and readability of your book testifies to your ability to research, analyze, and write a compelling story, your race as much as your ability likely had much to do with your having the prestigious Wall Street Journal as a writing platform. And I say this already presuming that you either have been castigated as a “bleeding heart liberal” or soon will be as a result of this fine work. In the end, what impressed me is the forthright and honest manner in which you leveraged these advantages to write a book about one of the ugliest chapters in American history. I believe that the story you tell in “Slavery by Another Name” may shed light on many still troubling issues, such as racial profiling, black prison populations; African American self-respect; missing males in the African American family; prisons as an economic resource; the depressed state of southern education, health, and welfare; and the South’s comparative lack of economic progress. In the final analysis, the fact that anyone—no matter the race—has written a book with so many implications means more to me than the author’s race. The irony is that the knowledge you so thoughtfully provided in “Slavery” actually may speed the very day when people like Ms. Booker and I can focus on the content of the book instead of the race of the author who wrote it. [My apologies for reposting my comments, but the editor in me saw a few errors that needed fixing.--GSN
As an African American, I can sympathize with Ms. Booker’s frustration about the race of the author who produced “Slavery by Another Name.” There is no doubt in my mind that this book would have not have received its present level of recognition had it been written by a black man. The deeply embedded racism that supported the exploitative practices your book have manifest themselves in the systematic devaluation, marginalization, and discredit of similar efforts by a black man in the past and continue to do so today. Preeminent scholars such as DuBois (“Souls of the Black Folk”) and renowned novelists such as John O. Killens (“Youngblood”) both have referenced neo-slavery in their writings that draw amazingly little notice by most Americans. So effectively has America’s educational system ignored these and other black authors that they become known only to some college students, history buffs, or independent-thinking intellects rather than to the millions who could benefit educationally, socially, and psychologically from a national storytelling more transparent than the a myth-ridden history they have been fed.
Even so, sharing Ms. Booker’s frustrations does not diminish my admiration for the author’s dogged pursuit of truth regarding this most sordid and thinly reported chapter of American history. Nor does it blind me to the realization that your race likely provided certain distinct advantages, in terms of access to information, availability of respected platforms, and presumed credibility, that a black author may have found difficult to match. It’s not unrealistic to assume that your reception in county courthouses, local libraries, and other repositories would have been much chillier and problematic had you been a black man. Although the thoroughness and readability of your book testifies to your ability to research, analyze, and write a compelling story, your race as much as your ability likely had much to do with your having the prestigious Wall Street Journal as a writing platform. And I say this already presuming that you either have been castigated as a “bleeding heart liberal” or soon will be as a result of this fine work.
In the end, what impressed me is the forthright and honest manner in which you leveraged these advantages to write a book about one of the ugliest chapters in American history. I believe that the story you tell in “Slavery by Another Name” may shed light on many still troubling issues, such as racial profiling, black prison populations; African American self-respect; missing males in the African American family; prisons as an economic resource; the depressed state of southern education, health, and welfare; and the South’s comparative lack of economic progress. In the final analysis, the fact that anyone—no matter the race—has written a book with so many implications means more to me than the author’s race. The irony is that the knowledge you so thoughtfully provided in “Slavery” actually may speed the very day when people like Ms. Booker and I can focus on the content of the book instead of the race of the author who wrote it.

]]> Comment on After seven long years… by Joy in Missouri http://www.slaverybyanothername.com/book-blog/after-seven-long-years/comment-page-1/#comment-281 Joy in Missouri Wed, 11 Feb 2009 16:35:09 +0000 http://www.slaverybyanothername.com/?p=58#comment-281 Mr. Blackmon... My ache, just for reading a few lines about the book... just for looking into the eyes of those in the photographs, is beyond words. Knowing things were worse than even thought, as horrific as they were already known to be, is a hard blow to the mind. Without knowing the awful secrets of what happened, I think we understand next to nothing of today. The remnants of those awful days that still remain in obstacles between us, silences, distrust and fear are rooted in this shocking past through which, without knowing of it, we've sleep walked. Sometimes you just want to go to sleep again... "when will all the cruelty and pain just end?" But it won't until we awaken to it, and know how we got here, and even where we now are. Thank you Mr. Blackmon for the lump in my throat this morning, the pressure of tears behind my eyes, the ache in my belly... for the empathy which makes us all brothers and sisters as we try to face and address this seething history and its lingering smoke in the America we all share. --- I'm a 60 year old white woman with a 20 year old son, and we both stiffened into silence when we first heard you speaking about your book... There is a hunger in our land for the truth about these things. Thank you again. Mr. Blackmon… My ache, just for reading a few lines about the book… just for looking into the eyes of those in the photographs, is beyond words. Knowing things were worse than even thought, as horrific as they were already known to be, is a hard blow to the mind. Without knowing the awful secrets of what happened, I think we understand next to nothing of today. The remnants of those awful days that still remain in obstacles between us, silences, distrust and fear are rooted in this shocking past through which, without knowing of it, we’ve sleep walked. Sometimes you just want to go to sleep again… “when will all the cruelty and pain just end?” But it won’t until we awaken to it, and know how we got here, and even where we now are. Thank you Mr. Blackmon for the lump in my throat this morning, the pressure of tears behind my eyes, the ache in my belly… for the empathy which makes us all brothers and sisters as we try to face and address this seething history and its lingering smoke in the America we all share. — I’m a 60 year old white woman with a 20 year old son, and we both stiffened into silence when we first heard you speaking about your book… There is a hunger in our land for the truth about these things. Thank you again.

]]> Comment on Thanks again for the tremendous reception for the book by admin http://www.slaverybyanothername.com/book-blog/thanks-again-for-the-tremendous-reception-for-the-book/comment-page-1/#comment-272 admin Wed, 11 Feb 2009 01:39:52 +0000 http://www.slaverybyanothername.com/?p=52#comment-272 Thanks for your email Ms. Booker. I appreciate your concern, and many readers have shared some version of it. I have wrestled with these questions personally as well. But in the end, I believe this isn't an African-American story, or a white story, or something similar. Instead, this is a sad American story, about terribly things done by Americans to Americans. It is the history of all of us, and I believe it's essential that we confront it honestly. I hope you'll write or post again after reading the book. Best, db Thanks for your email Ms. Booker. I appreciate your concern, and many readers have shared some version of it. I have wrestled with these questions personally as well. But in the end, I believe this isn’t an African-American story, or a white story, or something similar. Instead, this is a sad American story, about terribly things done by Americans to Americans. It is the history of all of us, and I believe it’s essential that we confront it honestly. I hope you’ll write or post again after reading the book. Best, db

]]>