Book Cover Image of In Slavery’s Wake: Making Black Freedom in the World by National Museum of African American History & Culture

In Slavery’s Wake: Making Black Freedom in the World
by National Museum of African American History & Culture

    Publication Date: Oct 29, 2024
    List Price: $39.95
    Format: Hardcover, 240 pages
    Classification: Nonfiction
    ISBN13: 9781588347794
    Imprint: Smithsonian Books
    Publisher: Smithsonian Books
    Parent Company: Smithsonian Institution

    Description of In Slavery’s Wake: Making Black Freedom in the World by National Museum of African American History & Culture

    Explore the modern-day impact of slavery and colonialism in this panoramic Black history for anti-racist readers of 1619 Project and Caste.

    The companion book to a groundbreaking exhibition on African American history and culture—with 150 powerful illustrations of people and objects.

    This powerful collection of essays brought to life with more than 150 illustrations investigates the intertwined legacies of slavery, freedom, and capitalism. In Slavery’s Wake frames the history of slavery in a global context to show how it created systems of oppression that continue to shape the world today. Compelling essays from key historians and scholars trace the contemporary resonances of slavery but also the history of freedom-making, from abolitionism to enslaved and colonized people asserting their humanity to the Black Lives Matter movement. The history is humanized by:

    • Art reflecting on liberation, including the gorgeous artwork of Daniel Minter
    • Historic and contemporary artifacts that represent enslavement and resistance
    • Poignant interviews of descendants of formerly colonized and enslaved people sharing their lived experiences

    This book posits that current matters of freedom and equality are only made possible by understanding how past injustices have defined the present, making it an essential read for anyone engaged in social justice. Poignant and insightful, In Slavery’s Wake examines the long shadow of slavery and looks toward building a freer future beyond it.