Va-Hist:

Janet Hunter's fear that a discussion of this topic might be frowned on is
probably a result of some previous discussions getting personal or ravelling
off onto extraneous topics.

She wrote:

"Because I have been on this list for several years and recently any sort of
discussion of this nature seems to be anathema...but hope springs eternal.
Perhaps some of you, in lieu of a discussion, have references to historical
works that have attempted (whether in a micro setting or not) to assess the
overall treatment of slaves.  I must say that the sexual and physical
violence/abuse is what is most disconcerting to my own immediate
descendants."

An exploration of the historical literature on slavery with a focus on
Virginia is a very good topic for discussion, indeed, especially for folks
who have not kept up with all the new scholarly literature of the last
decade.

Brent Tarter
The Library of Virginia
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