About the book
The abolition of Russian serfdom in 1861 and American slavery in 1865 transformed both nations as Russian peasants and African Americans gained new rights as subjects and citizens. During the second half of the long nineteenth century, Americans and Russians responded to these societal transformations through a fascinating array of new cultural productions. Analyzing portrayals of African Americans and Russian serfs in oil paintings, advertisements, fiction, poetry, and ephemera housed in American and Russian archives, Amanda Brickell Bellows argues that these widely circulated depictions shaped collective memory of slavery and serfdom, affected the development of national consciousness, and influenced public opinion as peasants and freedpeople strove to exercise their newfound rights.
While acknowledging the core differences between chattel slavery and serfdom, as well as the distinctions between each nation’s post-emancipation era, Bellows highlights striking similarities between representations of slaves and serfs that were produced by elites in both nations as they sought to uphold a patriarchal vision of society. Russian peasants and African American freedpeople countered simplistic, paternalistic, and racist depictions by producing dignified self-representations of their traditions, communities, and accomplishments. This book provides an important reconsideration of post-emancipation assimilation, race, class, and political power.
Editions of American Slavery and Russian Serfdom in the Post-Emancipation Imagination
- Hardcover
- ISBN 9781469655536
- Paperback
- ISBN 9781469655543
- EBook
- ISBN 9781469655567
- EBook
- ISBN 9798890857330
- EBook
- ISBN 9781469655550
- PDF
- ISBN 9798890857323
Read an Excerpt
The abolition of Russian serfdom in 1861 and American slavery in 1865 transformed both nations as Russian peasants and African Americans gained new rights as subjects and citizens. During the second half of the long nineteenth century, Americans and Russians responded to these societal transformations through a fascinating array of new cultural productions. Analyzing portrayals of African Americans and Russian serfs in oil paintings, advertisements, fiction, poetry, and ephemera housed in American and Russian archives, Amanda Brickell Bellows argues that these widely circulated depictions shaped collective memory of slavery and serfdom, affected the development of national consciousness, and influenced public opinion as peasants and freedpeople strove to exercise their newfound rights.
While acknowledging the core differences between chattel slavery and serfdom, as well as the distinctions between each nation’s post-emancipation era, Bellows highlights striking similarities between representations of slaves and serfs that were produced by elites in both nations as they sought to uphold a patriarchal vision of society. Russian peasants and African American freedpeople countered simplistic, paternalistic, and racist depictions by producing dignified self-representations of their traditions, communities, and accomplishments. This book provides an important reconsideration of post-emancipation assimilation, race, class, and political power.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is American Slavery and Russian Serfdom in the Post-Emancipation Imagination about?
The abolition of Russian serfdom in 1861 and American slavery in 1865 transformed both nations as Russian peasants and African Americans gained new rights as subjects and citizens. During the second half of the long nineteenth century, Americans and Russians responded to these societal transformations through a fascinating array of new cultural productions. Analyzing portrayals of African Americans and Russian serfs in oil paintings, advertisements, fiction, poetry, and ephemera housed in American and Russian archives, Amanda Brickell Bellows argues that these widely circulated depictions shaped collective memory of slavery and serfdom, affected the development of national consciousness, and influenced public opinion as peasants and freedpeople strove to exercise their newfound rights.
While acknowledging the core differences between chattel slavery and serfdom, as well as the distinctions between each nation’s post-emancipation era, Bellows highlights striking similarities between representations of slaves and serfs that were produced by elites in both nations as they sought to uphold a patriarchal vision of society. Russian peasants and African American freedpeople countered simplistic, paternalistic, and racist depictions by producing dignified self-representations of their traditions, communities, and accomplishments. This book provides an important reconsideration of post-emancipation assimilation, race, class, and political power.
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in American Slavery and Russian Serfdom in the Post-Emancipation Imagination?
History and Archaeology > History > History: specific events and topics > Social and cultural history
Where can I read a sample of American Slavery and Russian Serfdom in the Post-Emancipation Imagination?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9781469655536
How long is American Slavery and Russian Serfdom in the Post-Emancipation Imagination and how many pages does it have?
American Slavery and Russian Serfdom in the Post-Emancipation Imagination has 320 page(s)
Who is/are the Author/s of the book American Slavery and Russian Serfdom in the Post-Emancipation Imagination?
Amanda Brickell Bellows
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
American Slavery and Russian Serfdom in the Post-Emancipation Imagination is available as hardcover(ISBN 9781469655536) and paperback(ISBN 9781469655543) and ebook(ISBN 9781469655567) and ebook(ISBN 9798890857330) and ebook(ISBN 9781469655550) and pdf(ISBN 9798890857323)
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Where can I buy American Slavery and Russian Serfdom in the Post-Emancipation Imagination?