Myths and Realities of American Slavery: the True History of Slavery in America.By John C. Perry. (Shippensburg, Pa.: Burd Street Press, c. 2002. Pp. [xii], 291. $39.95, ISBN ISBN abbr. International Standard Book Number ISBN International Standard Book Number ISBN n abbr (= International Standard Book Number) → ISBN m 1-57249-335-6.) This brief, synthetic work intended for the "average everyday reader" is meant to provide "not just a study of the life [sic] of slaves" but also "information from the perspective of the slave owner"; another of author John C. Perry's goals is to "arm all Americans with the facts" about slavery as "discussions take place regarding 'Slavery Reparations' to African Americans" (p. ix). Thirty-one key "Slavery Facts" appear throughout in boxes broken apart from the text, and these range in subject from commonplaces such as "[s]lavery was found in all of the original thirteen American colonies" (p. 46) to the claim that "as many as 90,000 [African Americans served] in the Confederate army" (p. 212). The interpretation of slavery that emerges is reminiscent of early-twentieth-century historiography: Most human societies sanctioned slavery until the nineteenth century; slavery in the South was harsh, but so was life in general; the Civil War was forced on the South by an aggressive North; slavery was becoming unprofitable and would probably have ended by the 1880s if no war had been fought; and northern Reconstruction policies were largely responsible for subsequent racism. The author has read widely, but unevenly, to reach his conclusions. Broad treatments by U. B. Phillips, Kenneth M. Stampp Kenneth Milton Stampp (b. July 12, 1912), Alexander F. and May T. Morrison Professor of History Emeritus at the University of California, Berkeley (1946-1983), is a celebrated historian of slavery, the American Civil War, and Reconstruction. , Eugene D. Genovese Eugene Dominic Genovese (born May 19, 1930) is a noted historian of the American South and American slavery. Genovese was born in Brooklyn and was awarded a BA from the Brooklyn College in 1953, a MA from Columbia University in 1955, and a PhD in 1959. , John B. Boles, Peter Kolchin, and Ira Berlin Ira Berlin (b. 1941) is an American historian, a Distinguished University Professor at the University of Maryland, and a past President of the Organization of American Historians. appear in Perry's bibliography. The chapters on slavery's origins and growth to 1830 draw on David Eltis Dr David Eltis is a British military historian and teacher at Eton College. His PhD thesis was written on the Military Revolution in 16th Century Europe. He is also the inventor of Flying Chess, in 1984. , but not on David Brion Davis David Brion Davis (born February 16, 1927) is Sterling Professor of History Emeritus at Yale University. He is noted for his study of slavery and abolitionism. He received his Ph.D. from Harvard University. , Winthrop D. Jordan, or Philip D. Morgan. Phillips is cited to dismiss slave narratives as abolitionist tracts, but there is no mention of works by Henry Louis Gates, William S. McFeely William S. McFeely was a professor of history for decades before his retirement in 1997. He received his B.A. from Amherst College and Ph.D. from Yale University. He taught for sixteen years at Mount Holyoke College before joining the University of Georgia in 1986. , or Jean Fagan Yellin. Perry says that "most accounts of young children as slaves ... are positive" (p. 144), but he fails to cite Wilma King or Marie Jenkins Schwartz. The significance of runaway slaves is also minimized, with recent work by John Hope Franklin Noun 1. John Hope Franklin - United States historian noted for studies of Black American history (born in 1915) Franklin and Loren Schweninger not in evidence. And so it goes. In fairness, Perry's summaries of urban slavery, industrial slavery, and hiring out ate done reasonably well. These are areas where his desire to accentuate the positive about slavery is not crippling. Where nothing positive can be said, Perry moves on quickly: for example, sexual exploitation is dealt with in just over a page, mostly to downplay the subject. In short, Myths and Realities of American Slavery is itself a mix of fact and myth, resulting in a highly selective picture of slavery focused more on slaveholders than slaves and aimed chiefly at justifying a certain vision of the Old South. Most historians of slavery will find it a deeply flawed work by an author carried away by his biases. Still, that an intelligent and able writer, which Perry certainly is, could argue to his conclusions with some of the better work in the field before him is troublesome. It might be in order for historians to think and write more often with Perry's "average everyday reader" in mind. T. STEPHEN WHITMAN Mount St. Mary's Mount St. Mary's may refer many institutions. Mount St. Mary's College may be:
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