Slaves Without Masters

By Ira Belin,

Book cover of Slaves Without Masters: The Free Negro in the Antebellum South

Book description

The prize-winning classic volume by acclaimed historian Ira Berlin is now available in a handsome new edition, with a new preface by the author. It is a moving portrait of the quarter of a million free black men and women who lived in the South before the Civil War and…

Shepherd is reader supported. When you buy books, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Why read it?

1 author picked Slaves Without Masters as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

This book uses census data and other historical facts to highlight the 250,000 free blacks who were in the south post-Civil War. It shows the struggles black people faced in regards to their community, liberty, education, and economic independence inside an oppressive society. Berlin does a good job at depicting the interaction between Blacks and Whites both free and enslaved. He offers a better understanding of the complex race relations that existed in the south. He gives one of the best accounts on record, of the wealth black people accumulated during slavery and 20 years after despite the pushback they…

From Jillian's list on the history of land dispossession.

Want books like Slaves Without Masters?

Our community of 10,000+ authors has personally recommended 100 books like Slaves Without Masters.

Browse books like Slaves Without Masters

5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in the South, African Americans, and the Antebellum South?

10,000+ authors have recommended their favorite books and what they love about them. Browse their picks for the best books about the South, African Americans, and the Antebellum South.

The South Explore 177 books about the South
African Americans Explore 726 books about African Americans
The Antebellum South Explore 16 books about the Antebellum South