Local Matters
Race, Crime, and Justice in the Nineteenth-Century South
By Ariela J. Gross, Christopher Waldrep, Donald G. Nieman, Judith Schafer, Laura F. Edwards, Lou Falkner Williams, Michael W. Fitzgerald, Sally E. Hadden, Timothy S. Huebner | Publisher: University of Georgia Press
About the book
Much of the current reassessment of race, culture, and criminal justice in the nineteenth-century South has been based on intensive community studies. Drawing on previously untapped sources, the nine original papers collected here represent some of the best new work on how racial justice can be shaped by the particulars of time and place.
Although each essay is anchored in the local, several important larger themes emerge across the volume—such as the importance of personality and place, the movement of former slaves from the capriciousness of \"plantation justice\" to the (theoretically) more evenhanded processes of the courts, and the increased presence of government in daily aspects of American life.
Local Matters cites a wide range of examples to support these themes. One essay considers the case of a quasi-free slave in Natchez, Mississippi—himself a slaveowner—who was \"reined in\" by his master through the courts, while another shows how federal aims were subverted during trials held in the aftermath of the 1876 race riots in Ellenton, South Carolina. Other topics covered include the fear of black criminality as a motivation of Klan activity; the career of Thomas Ruffin, slaveowner and North Carolina Supreme Court Justice; blacks and the ballot in Washington County, Texas; the overturned murder conviction of a North Carolina slave who had killed a white man; the formation of a powerful white bloc in Vicksburg, Mississippi; agitation by black and white North Carolina women for greater protections from abusive white male elites; and slaves, crime, and the common law in New Orleans.
Together, these studies offer new insights into the nature of law and the fate of due process at different stages of a highly racialized society.
Editions of Local Matters
- Hardcover
- ISBN 9780820322476
- Paperback
- ISBN 9780820340814
- PDF
- ISBN 9780820342054
Read an Excerpt
Much of the current reassessment of race, culture, and criminal justice in the nineteenth-century South has been based on intensive community studies. Drawing on previously untapped sources, the nine original papers collected here represent some of the best new work on how racial justice can be shaped by the particulars of time and place.
Although each essay is anchored in the local, several important larger themes emerge across the volume—such as the importance of personality and place, the movement of former slaves from the capriciousness of \"plantation justice\" to the (theoretically) more evenhanded processes of the courts, and the increased presence of government in daily aspects of American life.
Local Matters cites a wide range of examples to support these themes. One essay considers the case of a quasi-free slave in Natchez, Mississippi—himself a slaveowner—who was \"reined in\" by his master through the courts, while another shows how federal aims were subverted during trials held in the aftermath of the 1876 race riots in Ellenton, South Carolina. Other topics covered include the fear of black criminality as a motivation of Klan activity; the career of Thomas Ruffin, slaveowner and North Carolina Supreme Court Justice; blacks and the ballot in Washington County, Texas; the overturned murder conviction of a North Carolina slave who had killed a white man; the formation of a powerful white bloc in Vicksburg, Mississippi; agitation by black and white North Carolina women for greater protections from abusive white male elites; and slaves, crime, and the common law in New Orleans.
Together, these studies offer new insights into the nature of law and the fate of due process at different stages of a highly racialized society.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Local Matters about?
Much of the current reassessment of race, culture, and criminal justice in the nineteenth-century South has been based on intensive community studies. Drawing on previously untapped sources, the nine original papers collected here represent some of the best new work on how racial justice can be shaped by the particulars of time and place.
Although each essay is anchored in the local, several important larger themes emerge across the volume—such as the importance of personality and place, the movement of former slaves from the capriciousness of \"plantation justice\" to the (theoretically) more evenhanded processes of the courts, and the increased presence of government in daily aspects of American life.
Local Matters cites a wide range of examples to support these themes. One essay considers the case of a quasi-free slave in Natchez, Mississippi—himself a slaveowner—who was \"reined in\" by his master through the courts, while another shows how federal aims were subverted during trials held in the aftermath of the 1876 race riots in Ellenton, South Carolina. Other topics covered include the fear of black criminality as a motivation of Klan activity; the career of Thomas Ruffin, slaveowner and North Carolina Supreme Court Justice; blacks and the ballot in Washington County, Texas; the overturned murder conviction of a North Carolina slave who had killed a white man; the formation of a powerful white bloc in Vicksburg, Mississippi; agitation by black and white North Carolina women for greater protections from abusive white male elites; and slaves, crime, and the common law in New Orleans.
Together, these studies offer new insights into the nature of law and the fate of due process at different stages of a highly racialized society.
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in Local Matters?
Law > Jurisprudence and general issues > Legal history
Where can I read a sample of Local Matters?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9780820322476
How long is Local Matters and how many pages does it have?
Local Matters has 264 page(s)
Is Local Matters part of a series, and can it be read as a standalone?
Yes it is a part of series Studies in the Legal History of the South Ser.
Who is/are the Author/s of the book Local Matters?
Ariela J. Gross, Christopher Waldrep, Donald G. Nieman, Judith Schafer, Laura F. Edwards, Lou Falkner Williams, Michael W. Fitzgerald, Sally E. Hadden, Timothy S. Huebner
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
Local Matters is available as hardcover(ISBN 9780820322476) and paperback(ISBN 9780820340814) and pdf(ISBN 9780820342054)
Where can I buy Local Matters online or support local independent bookshops?
You can buy Local Matters from below
Where can I buy Local Matters?