Against the Grain

General Strike of the Enslaved

Did Lincoln free the slaves? Or did they just as much free themselves? And what were the ramifications of their seemingly impossible achievement — immediate and uncompensated emancipation — for other oppressed groups? Historian David Roediger discusses that revolutionary period in U.S. history — and the consequences of its failure today. (Encore presentation.)

Resources:

David R. Roediger, Seizing Freedom: Slave Emancipation and Liberty for All Verso, 2015