Slaves Today
1931 novel by George Schuyler / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Slaves Today; A Story of Liberia is a novel written by African American author George Schuyler. The first edition of the book was published in 1931 by Brewer, Warren and Putnam in New York. A subsequent 1969 edition was published by McGrath Publishing Co. in College Park, Maryland.[1] The book was first published the same year as Schuyler's Black No More.[2]
Author | George Schuyler |
---|---|
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Publisher | Brewer, Warren and Putnam |
Publication date | 1931 |
Media type | Novel |
ISBN | 0-404-00209-9 |
Schuyler spent three months in Liberia[1][3] and based his fictional story on his perspective of labor issues and Americo-Liberian relations with indigenous tribes during the early years of the Great Depression.[4]
Schuyler writes in the foreword of Slaves Today that his depiction of Liberian native abuse is meant to convince the citizens of primarily White nations to end similar abuse in their countries.[1] He also notes the irony of Liberia as a country engaged in active slavery, mentioning that the Republic was founded by freed African American slaves and that their motto is The Love of Liberty Brought Us Here.[1]
Critical analyses of Slaves today differ in opinion as to the successfulness of the novel, with some claiming it to be possibly self-contradictory in nature and insulting to the reader,[3] while others hailing it to be a “complex and innovative synthesis” between indigenous African culture and American literary norms, allowing for easy reception and relatability among readers.[4]