Generations of Captivity : A History of African-American Slaves

Professor Berlin discussed his book Generations of Captivity: A History of African-American Slaves, published by Harvard University Press. He traced the history of slavery from its 17th-century origins to its demise in the U.S. during the Civil War. He said that American slavery evolved and developed within the changing context of American history. Delineated periods or ‘generations’ defined the stages of this evolution. The experiences of slaves adapting to their new environment during the first century of settlement produced the ‘chartered generation.’ The familiar southern experience of slavery, when cotton dominated the national economy, was titled the ‘plantation generation.’ The ‘revolutionary generation’ followed as international views on slavery and freedom began to influence domestic politics and culture. Mr. Berlin identified the period during the Civil War as the ‘freedom generation.’ Finally, he examined the ‘migration generation,’ which was defined by the substantial close