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Lucy Ann Delaney was a slave in the 19th century - her shocking narrative, telling of struggles and eventual triumph over oppression, offer a poignant catalog of the horrors of slavery. Much of Lucy Delaney's memoir tells of her mother Polly's struggles to regain freedom in tandem with her daughter. The legal difficulties would see their cases drag on for years, despite Polly originally having been kidnapped from her home state of Illinois. Opportunist people smugglers of the era would commonly resort to kidnapping blacks living in the northerly states where slavery had already been made illegal. The kidnap, transport and sale of a person often took mere weeks to achieve, and usually proved ...
In "From the Darkness Cometh the Light, or Struggles for Freedom," Lucy A. Delaney weaves a poignant narrative that examines the multifaceted experiences of African Americans in the antebellum period, particularly focusing on their quests for autonomy and dignity. Delaney employs a rich, emotive prose style, intertwining personal anecdotes with broader historical contexts, thus highlighting the systemic oppression faced by enslaved individuals while illuminating their resilience. This compelling juxtaposition of despair and hope invites readers to engage deeply with the prevailing themes of freedom, identity, and social justice. Lucy A. Delaney, a former enslaved woman turned abolitionist an...
Lucy Ann Delaney (c. 1830-c. 1890s) was an African-American author and former slave, remembered for her inspiring 1891 narrative From the Darkness Cometh the Light; or, Struggles for Freedom, which remains virtually the only source of information regarding her life. The text takes much of its shape from slave narratives and is primarily devoted to Polly Berry's struggles to free her family. Though the story is ostensibly Delaney's, Berry remains the primary driving force and often seems to be more the protagonist than Delaney herself. The narrative is very spiritual in tone, both celebrating what Delaney sees as God's benevolent role in her own life as well as attacking the hypocrisy of Christian slave owners. Also, like many post-bellum slave narratives, From the Darkness does not so much recount the horrors of slavery as attempt to show the strength of the African-Americans who suffered them. Consequently, the narrative continues after Delaney's freedom, showing her fortitude following the death of her first husband, and later her four children. Delaney also celebrates her later political involvement, arguing for the potential of African-American citizens in American democracy.
From the Darkness Cometh the Light (1891) is a memoir by Lucy A. Delaney. Published in St. Louis in the last year of Delaney's life, the work is regarded as an essential slave narrative and the only firsthand account of a freedom suit, by which some enslaved African Americans were able to achieve their freedom prior to emancipation. Twentieth century scholars of feminism and African American literature in particular have upheld her work and continue to celebrate her influence on the historical and cultural development of the nation. "On a dismal night in the month of September, Polly, with four other colored persons, were kidnapped, and, after being securely bound and gagged, were put into a...
The pre-Civil War autobiographies of famous fugitives such as Frederick Douglass, William Wells Brown, and Harriet Jacobs form the bedrock of the African American narrative tradition. After emancipation arrived in 1865, former slaves continued to write about their experience of enslavement and their upward struggle to realize the promise of freedom and citizenship. Slave Narratives After Slavery reprints five of the most important and revealing first-person narratives of slavery and freedom published after 1865. Elizabeth Keckley's controversial Behind the Scenes (1868) introduced white America to the industry and progressive outlook of an emerging black middle class. The little-known Narrat...
She Took Justice: The Black Woman, Law, and Power – 1619 to 1969 proves that The Black Woman liberated herself. Readers go on a journey from the invasion of Africa into the Colonial period and the Civil Rights Movement. The Black Woman reveals power, from Queen Nzingha to Shirley Chisholm. In She Took Justice, we see centuries of courage in the face of racial prejudice and gender oppression. We gain insight into American history through The Black Woman's fight against race laws, especially criminal injustice. She became an organizer, leader, activist, lawyer, and judge – a fighter in her own advancement. These engaging true stories show that, for most of American history, the law was an enemy to The Black Woman. Using perseverance, tenacity, intelligence, and faith, she turned the law into a weapon to combat discrimination, a prestigious occupation, and a platform from which she could lift others as she rose. This is a book for every reader.
This singular reference provides an authoritative account of the daily lives of enslaved women in the United States, from colonial times to emancipation following the Civil War. Through essays, photos, and primary source documents, the female experience is explored, and women are depicted as central, rather than marginal, figures in history. Slavery in the history of the United States continues to loom large in our national consciousness, and the role of women in this dark chapter of the American past is largely under-examined. This is the first encyclopedia to focus on the daily experiences and roles of female slaves in the United States, from colonial times to official abolition provided by the 13th amendment to the Constitution in 1865. Enslaved Women in America: An Encyclopedia contains 100 entries written by a range of experts and covering all aspects of daily life. Topics include culture, family, health, labor, resistance, and violence. Arranged alphabetically by entry, this unique look at history features life histories of lesser-known African American women, including Harriet Robinson Scott, the wife of Dred Scott, as well as more notable figures.
A major new history of the literary traditions, oral and print, of African-descended peoples in the United States.
During the antebellum period, African American women were at the center of the nation's battle between slavery and liberty as the country moved closer to civil war. Their resistance added momentum to the abolition movement and led to a more militant stance against slavery among both Black and White Northerners. While their fight exposed the true horrors of slavery, these women's stories also reveal their agency, resilience, and ingenuity. This work highlights the lives of women who faced and fought against an institution that sanctioned both physical and sexual violence. It also examines the plight of free Black women who were kidnapped and thrust into slavery, and the effects of familial separation. The authors explore how the actions of African American women helped fuel the expansion of the Underground Railroad, influenced both state and federal policy, and ultimately played a vital role in the abolition movement. This book shifts the narrative of emancipation, illuminating the vital contributions of African American women and positioning them at the center of the fight to end slavery.
From the Darkness Cometh the Light, or Struggles for Freedom by Lucy A. (Lucy Ann) Delaney that we reared beforeCrumble to make a dust to hide who dies." In the year 18-, Mr. and Mrs. John Woods and Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Posey lived as one family in the State of Illinois. Living with Mrs. Posey was a little negro girl, named Polly Crocket, who had made it her home there, in peace and happiness, for five years. On a dismal night in the month of September, Polly, with four other colored persons, were kidnapped, and, after being securely bound and gagged, were put into a skiff and carried across the Mississippi River to the city of St. Louis. Shortly after, these unfortunate negroes were taken up...