"“Breaking the Chains is still fresh, still relevant, and more dangerous than ever. … It shows us that the most oppressed and degraded people have the power, capacity, and moral vision to break their own chains and secure liberty, justice, and equality for all.”—from the Introduction by ROBIN D. G. KELLEY
Centering Black voices and the narratives of enslaved people, Breaking the Chains offers a thoroughly researched account of the ways people in bondage were themselves a driving force behind their own emancipation. With updated language that returns personhood and intent to those written about, this essential book by celebrated historian and author, William Loren Katz, is “a significant contribution to American history” (Kirkus Reviews).
“[Breaking the Chains] will force many readers to reexamine their assumptions about American history. … Young adults will be fascinated and better informed for having experienced this book.”—School Library Journal, starred review"
"The compelling account of how two heritages united in their struggle to gain freedom and equality in America.
The first paths to freedom taken by runaway slaves led to Native American villages. There, black men and women found acceptance and friendship among our country's original inhabitants. Though they seldom appear in textbooks and movies, the children of Native- and African-American marriages helped shape the early days of the fur trade, added a new dimension to frontier diplomacy, and made a daring contribution to the fight for American liberty.
Since its original publication, William Loren Katz's Black Indians has remained the definitive work on a long, arduous quest for freedom and equality. This new edition includes updated information about a neglected chapter in American history."
