A Nation Within a Nation

By (author) John Ernest

Publication date:

16 June 2011

Length of book:

232 pages

Publisher

Ivan R. Dee

ISBN-13: 9781566638074

John Ernest offers a comprehensive survey of the broad-ranging and influential African American organizations and networks formed in the North in the late eighteenth century through the end of the Civil War. He examines fraternal organizations, churches, conventions, mutual aid benefit and literary societies, educational organizations, newspapers, and magazines. Ernest argues these organizations demonstrate how African Americans self-definition was not solely determined by slavery as they tried to create organizations in the hope of creating a community.

Chapter 1: Cities on the Hill: Organizing Communities
Chapter 2: Mutual Interest, Mutual Benefit, Mutual Relief
Chapter 3: "Plain and Simple Gospel"
Chapter 4: "The United Wisdom of the World"
Chapter 5: "The Collected Wisdom of Our People"
Chapter 6: "Chains of Ignorance"
Chapter 7: "Our Warfare Lies in the Field of Thought"

Ernest focuses on the decades from the late 18th century up to the Civil War in the North. He examines the powers of African American organizations and networks, showing the context beyond slavery through which blacks found self-definition.