Slavery in the United States

This two-volume encyclopedia on slavery in the United States by Rodriguez (history, Eureka College) contains a wealth of material on the historical, social, and political aspects of the "peculiar institution." The bulk of the encyclopedia consist of some 300 alphabetical entries that provide information on the legal and institutional framework of encyclopedia, prominent individuals involved in perpetuation of or resistance to slavery, significant legislation and judicial cases, the cultural and ideological underpinnings of slavery, slave rebellions and other major events, and the day-to-day social and economic practices of the slave trade. Also included are 150 primary source documents, including abolitionist pamphlets, government investigations of slave uprisings, legal slave codes, manumission documents, journalistic editorials, excerpts from and criticisms of Uncle Tom's Cabin, and political correspondence. Ten contextual essays provide broad overviews of such topics as revolutionary ideology, citizenship, and slavery; the hardening of racial distinctions in Early American slavery; the economics of slavery; slavery and antebellum Southern culture; African American culture and strategies for survival; and the origins of African slavery. A detailed 77-page chronology is also included, along with a few maps and a general bibliography (no bibliographies are included for the individual entries). Annotation c2007 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Junius P. Rodriguez, Ph.D., is associate professor of history at Eureka College, Eureka, IL. His published works include ABC-CLIO's award-winningHistorical Encyclopedia of World Slavery, The Louisiana Purchase, andChronology of World Slavery.