I would guess that all of us on this list care about what it means to live in a free society, and about what it means to possess personal liberty. Study of slavery stems organically from these concerns in the present.
As sociologists, political theorists, historians, and others who care about such matters have long known, in order to know what it is to be free, one must have some understanding of what it means to lack freedom. This is one of the most basic points I take away from the scholarship of guys like Orlando Patterson, Christopher Tomlins, or David Brion Davis, just to name a few of the more important scholars who have studied these issues in the broadest terms.
One of the ways we understand what freedom means in the present, at least if we are to proceed as historians, is to think with care about what it has meant in the past to lack freedom. Scholarly interest in plantation, chattel slavery is hardly anachronistic. It stems from the fact that as engaged citizens in the present, we care deeply about liberty and freedom. So long as we continue to care about these things, the study of chattel slavery will remain relevant and vital.
All best,
Kevin
___________________________
Kevin R. Hardwick
Associate Professor
Department of History, MSC 8001
James Madison University
Harrisonburg, Virginia 22807
________________________________________
From: Discussion of research and writing about Virginia history [[log in to unmask]] on behalf of Kimball, Gregg (LVA) [[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Thursday, April 05, 2012 2:13 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Thinking about Slavery at William and Mary
The relative weight given to slavery in the historiography of the
American colonies and the United States in relation to other subjects is
certainly a worthy topic for the list. Unfortunately, glib assertions of
personal opinion are of no value in such a discussion. Perhaps some
facts and analysis could intrude on this thread?
I would add one small note regarding the thread's original subject.
William and Mary professor and president Thomas Roderick Dew thought
that the subject was important enough to write extensively on it while
at the College.
Gregg Kimball
VA-HIST Moderator
-----Original Message-----
From: Discussion of research and writing about Virginia history
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Jeff Southmayd
Sent: Thursday, April 05, 2012 1:33 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [VA-HIST] Thinking about Slavery at William and Mary
I am an American, so I guess the subject is part of my heritage in some
distant way. Don't see the point in continually harping on the subject
unless there is a dearth of other history topics to examine. In my
view, this continuing historical flagellation over the very distant and
discreet period of black slavery is some sort of historian psychosis
that apparently many can't kick.
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> Date: Thu, 5 Apr 2012 17:14:27 +0000
> From: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Thinking about Slavery at William and Mary
> To: [log in to unmask]
>
> Obviously, you are not a descendant of people who were enslaved.
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Jeff Southmayd <[log in to unmask]>
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Sent: Thu, 05 Apr 2012 15:23:57 -0000 (UTC)
> Subject: Re: [VA-HIST] Thinking about Slavery at William and Mary
>
> I think American slavery is the proverbial dead horse long ago beaten
to death by historians.
>
> >
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