Beacon Press: "There Were Good Masters"
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"There Were Good Masters"

And Fifteen Other Myths About Slavery

Author: Daina Ramey Berry

The first book to debunk common misunderstandings about slavery which persist today—an accessible history for all readers

Misconceptions about slavery thrive including Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’s recent claim that Black people benefitted from being enslaved. Other myths include:

  • Slavery came before freedom
  • The Irish were enslaved, too
  • Abraham Lincoln freed the slaves
  • Africans sold their own people

Organized in 4 parts—places, populations, people and legacy—readers will journey through topics including the slave trade, the Haitian Revolution, regional differences, ownership patterns, resistance, emancipation, and reparations.

By addressing global perspectives of slavery in Africa, the Caribbean, the Ancient world, and the United States, historian Daina Ramey Berry tackles 16 myths about the institution of slavery and sheds light on how they came to be. Berry challenges popular misconceptions about the ways African captives came to the New World, enslavers managed enslaved people, gender impacted sexual abuse, families responded to enslavement, and how people experienced emancipation. Beginning with the myth that Africans sold their own people and concluding with the contemporary fallacy that slavery is altogether over, Berry locates truth in histories both vibrant and deeply misunderstood.

Written for a broad audience, this book serves as a complete reader and a starting point for those who wish to learn more about enslaved people, the institution of slavery, and its legacies.


About the Series

In the Myths Made in America series, experts debunk pervasive and harmful myths across a wide variety of topics. As misconceptions about groups of marginalized people and misunderstood concepts in the world persist, these deeply researched, frank, and user-friendly books

  • identify commonly held myths by name and equip readers with facts and context to better understand why these myths were created in the first place
  • serve as a resource for people to resist, whether it be in organizing efforts, advocacy and policy work, or the classroom
  • arm readers with the necessary tools to be informed, think critically, and be prepared with facts and language to have effective and meaningful conversations about some of the most important societal issues of our time

The series has exposed myths about Indigenous people, immigration, LGBTQ+ people, prison reform, homelessness, unions, fat people, climate change, gun violence, and more written by critically acclaimed, award-winning, and New York Times best-selling authors.
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"There Were Good Masters"

ISBN: 978-080703483-5
 Publication Date: 1/21/2025
 Size:5.5 x 8.5 Inches (US)
Price:  $18.00
Format: Paperback
Not Yet Published
Will Ship On: January 2025
(Backorder policy)
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