SLAVE CULTURE: Nationalist Theory and the Foundation of Black America

by Sterling Stuckey ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 1, 1987

Thoughtful tracing of the roots of black nationalist feelings in America over several centuries. Stuckey's thesis is that African culture among black Americans from the earliest times was much higher than is generally estimated. Using anthropological evidence, he cites certain rituals, such as the Ring Shout and Circle Dance, popular in the New World, which have African antecedents. While these instances may not be as overwhelmingly conclusive as Stuckey postulates, nevertheless his book has an additional value as a historical analysis: clear portraits of the careers of W.E.B. Du Bois and Paul Robeson synopsize biographical material in the light of the author's reading on the subjects of black history and nationalism. Moreover, there are chapters devoted to less familiar characters in the nationalism struggle, such as David Walker and Henry Highland Garnet. Yet, perhaps predictably, Du Bois and Robeson steal the show. Robeson so revered Du Bois that when the great educator stayed briefly in his London apartment, he hung a sign on the door, W.E.B. DU BOIS SLEPT HERE. As for Robeson, his own memorable singing voice was deliberately untrained, Stuckey relates, in order to retain its special character apart from the European traditions of vocalism. If there is a flaw in Stuckey's presentation, it is that the geniality in the portraits of Robeson and Du Bois does not match up with these two men's often prickly personalities. Even their closest allies were often in argument with them. The combative element in the stories of all these ardent nationalists is an important one in evoking the atmosphere of the times. But by presenting a calm, approving portrait, Stuckey may have created an entirely too relaxed retrospective of an issue whose questions are still very much undecided. In short, an ably researched and explicated historical text, which benefits also from anthropological readings. Perhaps it's too good-natured for the argumentative figures at its center.

Pub Date: April 1, 1987

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Oxford Univ. Press

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 1987

Categories: NONFICTION