American Slavery, American Freedom

American Slavery, American Freedom is the classic study of the profound and enduring contradiction at the heart of America: a society founded on liberty yet built on slavery. Focusing on colonial Virginia, Edmund S. Morgan examines how Virginians—including leaders like George Washington and Thomas Jefferson—fought for freedom while simultaneously upholding the institution of slavery. This 50th-anniversary edition features a bold new introduction by National Book Award– and Pulitzer Prize–winning historian Annette Gordon-Reed, who frames Morgan’s groundbreaking analysis for a new generation of readers. Together, they remind us that fully understanding the relationship between freedom and slavery is essential to confronting America’s past and advancing racial justice today.

• Format: Paperback
• Genre: History, American History, Slavery Studies, Political History