A remarkably wide-ranging book taking in everything from science to soft drinks to show how slavery’s insidious hand wormed its way into the very fabric of American life.
An extraordinary story ... With her research and her sympathetic writing, Durkin has rescued the survivors of the Clotilda from such ignominy. The Survivors of the Clotilda is a gripping account of one of the most despicable events in U.S. history.
Acknowledging her debt to her predecessors, and sometimes correcting earlier misconceptions, Ms. Durkin adds her own meticulous research and relates the story in ample and affecting detail ... By turns horrifying and inspiring, it is a story that bears retelling.
Because it tells the stories of so many people in so much detail, The Survivors of the Clotilda is dense and can lack a clear narrative thread. Yet this multitude of stories allows readers to see a variety of reactions to and experiences of enslavement ... This authoritative work will be appreciated by anyone looking for a comprehensive account of one of history’s most infamous moments.
Durkin’s in-depth view is based largely on the survivors’ own words and perspectives... and is woven together with her extensive archival research. It’s a stirring saga of resilience that sheds new light on Black life in postbellum America.
