In the Matter of Color: Race and the American Legal Process: The Colonial Period

I bought this book on the reccomendation of my professor for a class in African American History. In addition to being an excellent reference book, it expresses the subject matter in a truthful and honest way without being prejudice. It combines both the known history taught in school with the unspoken stories of the colonial period, shedding light on the legal system, and its origin in the colonies. This book is a must have for anyone interested in the Law or legal studies.

In a matter of color discusses the legalities of slavery in the states of Virginia, New York, South Carolina, Georgia. and Pennsylvania during the colonial period. It reveals how laws contributed to inflicting injustice on millions of Americans, solely on the basis of their color. The State of Virginia, a model of agricultural and economic success, a leader for all the colonies played a major role in the ultimate institutionaliza­tion of slavery. The State of Massachusetts after numerous trepidations abolished slavery in 1783. The State of New York though not steeped in slavery exuded certain prejudices. Although "Free Blacks" might join the militia and buy real estate, Jews were barred from both. In South arolina, by 1708, less than 20 years after the decision to move from white indentured labor to black labor, black slaves out numbered white inhabitants. In the State of Georgia, the indentured slave system broke down. The need to increase the number of white residents and to assure an adequate and cheap labor supply caused the financing of transportation to Georgia of many free unindentured persons (called charity olonists)and granted them up to fifty aces of land. Another group of emigrants (called adventurers) paid their own passage and received up to 500 acres of land. In the State of Pennsylvania the destruction of slavery was achieved to a great extent through the private actions of Quakers and Germans freeing their slaves and cajoling their neighbors to act likewise. The book's contents are well researched, with cases and legislation written to be understood. For many readers, even those well steeped in African-American studies or American History, or the law....this book will stir new passions.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to embark on the serious study of racial idealogy here in America, especially as it pertains to the law. Higginbotham's work is widely quoted and referenced in other books that I've read. This book forms the bedrock and foundation for understanding "how" and "why" it was necessary to forge a wedge between poor whites and blacks, who together, often conspired to runaway from their master, and how black Americans gradually moved from a position of quasi-servitude to perpetual slavery. This book is phenonmenal. It truly is the bedrock of my collection of works on the subject.