To Make Our World Anew: Volume I: A History of African Americans to 1880

by Robin D.G. Kelley (Editor)

The two volumes of Kelley and Lewis's To Make Our World Anew integrate the work of eleven leading historians into the most up-to-date and comprehensive account available of African American history, from the first Africans brought as slaves into the Americas, right up to today's black filmmakers and politicians. This first volume begins with the story of Africa and its origins, then presents an overview of the Atlantic slave trade, and the forced migration and enslavement of between ten and twenty million people. It covers the Haitian Revolution, which ended victoriously in 1804 with the birth of the first independent black nation in the New World, and slave rebellions and resistance in the United States in the years leading up to the Civil War. There are vivid accounts of the Civil War and Reconstruction years, the backlash of the notorious "Jim Crow" laws and mob lynchings, and the founding of key black educational institutions, such as Howard University in Washington, D.C.
Here is a panoramic view of African-American life, rich in gripping first-person accounts and short character sketches that invite readers to relive history as African Americans have experienced it.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

320 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2000

About the author

Robin Davis Gibran Kelley is an American historian and academic, who is the Gary B. Nash Professor of American History at UCLA.

Reviews

[Larry · Rating 5 out of 5]

“To make our world anew” is an excellent survey of African American history. This book is a good choice for readers with a general knowledge of American history who are seeking to gain a deeper understanding of that multi-faceted history, specifically in this case with respect to the African American experience within it. The structure of the book also makes it a useful reference work for those looking to enhance or refresh their knowledge about particular time periods or aspects of African American history. See my entire review of the full, 1 volume version at https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

So much of African American history is under discussed or blocked completely from formal education. This book is a great resource to learn the history that has been hidden in American education for so long. It covers a large time period but is able to provide a lot of detail without being overwhelming. Once I finished this book, I immediately moved onto to part two!

I listened to this as an audiobook while commuting, and found it to be a great way to get a portion of information each day.

[AJ Payne · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was very interesting. I read if for an African American history class. My one complaint is that there is no index to be able to cross reference and return to certain sections when doing research for papers. The information contained is very in-depth and not too academic. However, I tended to wish it were more broad-based. I thought the information covered was fantastic - but it did not cover everything that a text book perhaps should. This could be used in tandem with a broader and shallower book to delve into certain issues more deeply.

[Sonya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent writing-I am a big history buff and love to read about African American history and ethnic studies.