Slavery in the Civil War Era

Children's Literature

To the modern mind the concept of buying and selling human beings remains so abhorrent that it is jarring to remember that it once was both common and legal in America. Slavery was, during much of American history, an accepted, albeit criticized, aspect of culture and economics. Primarily in the American South, the "Peculiar Institution" of slavery was woven into the nation's social fabric. The course and sequence of American slavery has been well chronicled and analyzed. However, there is always room for another book on a well-covered subject so long as the information contained within it is useful or novel in some way. In Barr's Slavery in the United States readers are afforded a concise review of this compelling subject. Barr follows a format that includes not only his own brief history of slavery, its nature, and its suppression, but also primary source information. Barr pairs period writings, song lyrics, quotations, and letters with his narrative while also lavishly illustrating the material. This combination of information sources makes this book a worthwhile although introductory one dealing with a topic that remains a stain upon the pages of American history. 2004, Heinemann Library, Ages 10 to 14.
—Greg M. Romaneck