American Slavery, American Freedom

In the American Revolution, Virginians were the most eloquent spokesmen for freedom and equality. George Washington led Americans in battle against British oppression. Thomas Jefferson led them in declaring independence. Virginians drafted the Declaration, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. And they were slave owners. Through the lens of colonial Virginia, American Slavery, American Freedom is the classic examination of the tragic contradiction at the core of America.

In her illuminating new contribution to this 50th-anniversary edition, National Book Award– and Pulitzer Prize–winning author Annette Gordon-Reed (The Hemingses of Monticello; On Juneteenth) introduces a new generation of readers to Edmund S. Morgan’s classic text, reminding us that without a full reckoning of the connection between freedom and slavery, America will stall on the road to racial justice.