Rituals Of Blood

By Orlando Patterson,

Book cover of Rituals Of Blood: The Consequences Of Slavery In Two American Centuries

Book description

In the first essay, Patterson analyzes the very latest survey data to delineate the different attitudes, behaviors, and circumstances of Afro-American men and women, dissecting both the external and internal causes for the great disparities he finds.In the second essay, Patterson focuses on the lynching of Afro-American boys and men…

When you buy books, we may earn a commission that helps keep our lights on (or join the rebellion as a member).

Why read it?

1 author picked Rituals Of Blood as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

This Black sociologist demands that we take a deep look into the religious basis of American racism.

Of 5,000 cases of lynching reported between 1880 and 1930, at least 40% functioned as actual human sacrifices, very large communal rituals that identified certain individuals as the source of the community’s problems and eliminated them. The sacrifice created a compact between the people and their deities, expiating their sins and reinforcing their values.

"The victim mediated between the sacred and the profane...the burning cross distilled it all: sacrificed Negro joined by the torch with sacrificed Christ, burnt together and discarded...” Well into…

From Barry's list on American addiction to innocence.

Want books like Rituals Of Blood?

Our community of 12,000+ authors has personally recommended 40 books like Rituals Of Blood.

Browse books like Rituals Of Blood

Book cover of The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism: and Other Writings
Book cover of The American Monomyth
Book cover of Blood Sacrifice and the Nation: Totem Rituals and the American Flag

Share your top 3 reads of 2024!

And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.

1,212

readers submitted
so far, will you?

5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in human sacrifice, lynching, and African Americans?

Human Sacrifice 11 books
Lynching 20 books
African Americans 808 books