I have seen plenty of movies about the Civil War.

I have visited museums and old plantation houses that document the history of American slavery.

I have read fictional books like Uncle Tom’s Cabin, which helpfully illuminate the nature of slavery in the mid-1800’s.

But the book Prayin’ to Be Set Free (2002, edited by Andrew Waters) helps illuminate American slavery better than anything else I have come across. Each chapter is like sitting down with an elderly black man or woman and hearing them tell about slavery, the Civil War, and life after emancipation.

In the 1930’s, during the Great Depression, President Roosevelt commissioned out-of-work authors to start interviewing elderly African-Americans who had once been slaves. Prayin’ to Be Set Free is part of this oral history of slavery that was preserved through the valiant efforts of these authors. Each chapter tells a story; the intriguing part is that the former slave is the story-teller!

The first chapter contains the memories of James Lucas, approximately 105 years old when interviewed in Natchez, Mississippi. As his recollections progress, he discloses the fact that he, at one point, actually served on the plantation of confederate president Jefferson Davis!

Our modern horror at the institution is often justified by the sad stories of these men and women. And yet, one quickly discovers that it is a mistake to demonize all slave-owners in the same way. A wide spectrum of humanity is described within these pages.

Some of the men and women look back fondly upon their former slavery. They speak forthrightly about the love they had for their masters. They express gratitude for the way they were treated, and still bear grudges against Lincoln for interfering in their business! 

Other men and women give horrific accounts that cause the reader to shudder at the evil oppression of slaves. They describe the beatings and the unjust treatment they received. Yet, even here, when describing the Ku Klux Klan, some of the men and women pin the blame on the “bad” slaves for provoking the lynchings that terrorized the African-American community. 

Because these stories are told in the first person and in the words of each slave, the language is politically incorrect. The book is also hard to read because the editor has chosen to maintain the dialect, often misspelling words and writing down the account according to the sounds of each word. This practice adds further authenticity to the stories, but it does not help the reader cover the material quickly.

Reading this book is like sitting down with a group of former slaves and hearing their stories. The testimonies are fascinating. I believe that one cannot fully understand the Civil War or slavery’s blight on American history without reading these accounts. Pick up Prayin’ to Be Set Free and then thank God that he answered.

written by Trevin Wax  © 2008 Kingdom People blog