Freedom's Gardener: James F. Brown, Horticulture, and the Hudson Valley in Antebellum America
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | 4.66 (517 Votes) |
| Asin | : | 1479825239 |
| Format Type | : | paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 219 Pages |
| Publish Date | : | 2013-01-02 |
| Language | : | English |
DESCRIPTION:
Two years after his escape and manumission, he began a diary which he kept until his death. At age 34 he ran away from his native Maryland to pass the remainder of his life as a gardener to a wealthy family in the Hudson Valley. Young Armstead uses the apparently small and domestic details of Brown’s diaries to construct a bigger story about the transition from slavery to freedom. In this first detailed historical study of Brown’s diaries, Armstead utilizes Brown’s life to illuminate the concept of freedom as it developed in the United States in the early national and antebellum years. In Freedom’s Gardener, Myra B. That Brown, an African American and former slave, serves as such a case study underscores the potential of American citizenship during his lifetime.. In 1793 James F. Brown was born a slave, and in 1868 he died a free man
"A Shining Example of Historical Reconstruction" according to AfroAmericanHeritage. James F. Brown was born a slave in Maryland and died a free man in Upstate New York. More than a free man - he became a Master Gardener, a husband, a voter, a citizen, a respected member of his community at large and the horticultural community of the Hudson River Valley in particular. An. "I'm still reading it but would recommend it for its well-researched presentation of the story" according to J L B. I leaned a lot about the culture of slavery that I didn't know before from reading this book. I'm still reading it but would recommend it for its well-researched presentation of the story.. Insightful look into Early American Slavery This was an insightful book into early American Slavery. It clearly illustrates the business of slavery and more fairness in some regards then I would have expected. Well done !
“Overall, this is an informative study of antebellum New York State.”-R. Douglas Hurt,New York History"Freedom’s Gardener is beautifully researched, bursting with detail."-The New York Times"Freedom's Gardener is an excellent example of how historians can transform one person's life into a story that illustrates the larger picture for both scholars and a broader audience."-Journal of American History"Armstead explores the meaning of northern African American identity through her deft decoding of a ten-volume diary left by James F. Brown Recommended for historians of antebellum America or the social aspects