A moment ago I characterized Annette Gordon-Reed's new book as "the
first biography of an entire slave family," adding that "if another
exists, I do not know of it."
What I ought to have said instead is that Gordon-Reed's work is to my
knowledge the first biography of a slave family that focuses entirely
on their life under slavery. Others have written fine works on slave
families that continue as studies of those families after slavery
ended. Among them is Henry Wiencek, who is kind enough to contribute
to this list from time to time, in his fine The Hairstons: An American
Family in Black and White. One thinks also of Adele Logan
Alexander's wonderful work tracing her family's complicated
multiracial history across several generations.
Apologies for a misstatement that may have provoked misunderstanding.
-- Jurretta Heckscher
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