White Supremacy in Children's Literature: Characterizations of African Americans, 1830-1900 (Children's Literature and Culture)

A compelling and penetrating study of the white supremacy myth in books for the young, revealing how children's stories have echoed the social injustice in American society. Annotation White Supremacy in Children's Literature is a compelling and penetrating study of the white supremacy myth in books for the young. Donnarae MacCann explores the intersection of child and adult culture and reveals how the political, literary and social contexts of many children's stories have paralleled the way adult books, schools, churches and government maligned black identity, culture and intelligence. The volume examines how links between the socialization of children and conservative trends in the 19th century foretold 20th century disregard for social justice in American social policy. MacCann further demonstrates that cultural pluralism, an ongoing corrective to white supremacist fabrications, is informed by the insights and historical assessments offered in this essential study This penetrating study of the white supremacy myth in books for the young adds an important dimension to American intellectual history. The study pinpoints an intersecting adult and child culture: it demonstrates that many children's stories had political, literary, and social contexts that paralleled the way adult books, schools, churches, and government institutions similarly maligned black identity, culture, and intelligence. The book reveals how links between the socialization of children and conservative trends in the 19th century foretold 20th century disregard for social justice in American social policy. The author demonstrates that cultural pluralism, an ongoing corrective to white supremacist fabrications, is informed by the insights and historical assessments offered in this study. Book Cover......Page 1 Title......Page 4 Contents......Page 5 Preface......Page 10 A Note on Usage......Page 12 Introduction......Page 14 Ambivalent Abolitionism A Sampling of Narratives......Page 38 Sociopolitical and Artistic Dimensions of Abolitionist Tales......Page 60 Personal and Institutional Dimensions......Page 82 Children's Fiction A Sampling......Page 118 The Social/Political Context......Page 158 Literary Lives......Page 190 Postwar Institutions......Page 220 Literary Methods and Conventions......Page 246 Conclusion The ~Lost Cause~ Wins......Page 268 Bibliography Works for the Young......Page 278 Other Sources......Page 281 Index......Page 296 Children's Non-Fiction Book Cover 1 Title 4 Contents 5 Preface 10 A Note on Usage 12 Introduction 14 Ambivalent Abolitionism A Sampling of Narratives 38 Sociopolitical and Artistic Dimensions of Abolitionist Tales 60 Personal and Institutional Dimensions 82 Children's Fiction A Sampling 118 The Social/Political Context 158 Literary Lives 190 Postwar Institutions 220 Literary Methods and Conventions 246 Conclusion The ~Lost Cause~ Wins 268 Bibliography Works for the Young 278 Other Sources 281 Index 296 This book is a revelatory exploration of how links between the socialization of children and the conservative trends in the 19th century foretold the ongoing disregard for social justice in American social policy