Evangelicalism and the Politics of Reform in Northern Black Thought, 1776-1863

Roberts, (history, Scripps, Claremont), explores the influence of Christian evangelicalism in northern blacks in the period of time between the Revolutionary and Civil War, and its connection to the development of black American identity. Roberts traces changes in thought and self-image from African tribal identities to Christian and American, as increasingly American-born northern blacks learned to read, often from missionaries using the Bible as a text. She shows how these black Americans were influenced by, and participated in, important enlightenment-era movements in the United States such as Revolutionary War and abolitionism, and the connection of those ideals with evangelical Christian belief. Using biographical details from individual stories to illustrate historical trends, the book is meticulously researched, well-argued, and interesting to read. Annotation c2011 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Rita Roberts is a professor of history at Scripps College and the Intercollegiate Department of Africana Studies at Claremont in California.