Synopsis
Brings to life the struggle for Black suffrage in nineteenth-century Ohio
In False Promises, the fight for Black voting rights in Ohio comes alive through narratives of men of color who defied the state’s nineteenth-century restrictions on suffrage. Though ratification of the Fifteenth Amendment ostensibly extended the franchise, state election laws still forced men of color into a perilous struggle for full citizenship. Ric S. Sheffield depicts their courage and determination, revealing their humanity through stories of sacrifice, resistance, and hope.
Drawing on Saidiya Hartman’s concept of critical fabulation, Sheffield weaves together historical records with imaginative reconstructions of dialogue, setting, and descriptive elements beyond the dusty courthouse pages. Grounded in archival evidence yet reimagined to fill in the silences, these stories recount the lived experiences of those who risked everything to exercise their right to vote.
False Promises also connects these historical battles to the present, illustrating how voter-suppression tactics in today’s Ohio have roots in the racial exclusions of the nineteenth century. By exposing the enduring legacy of white supremacist policies, the book challenges the widespread misconception that racial disenfranchisement was solely a southern problem. Ohio’s complex racial history―noted for its role in the Underground Railroad but also for its repressive Black Laws―also includes a fierce and ongoing struggle over the right to vote. Through compelling storytelling, historical analysis, and a reclamation of voices lost to history, False Promises urges readers to reconsider their understanding of democracy and the right to vote.
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About the Author
Ric S. Sheffield is a professor emeritus of legal studies and sociology at Kenyon College. In addition to publishing articles, reviews, and book chapters on legal history and African American social and legal history, he is the author of We Got By: A Black Family's Journey in the Heartland.
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Paperback. Condition: new. Paperback. Brings to life the struggle for Black suffrage in nineteenth-century Ohio In False Promises, the fight for Black voting rights in Ohio comes alive through narratives of men of color who defied the states nineteenth-century restrictions on suffrage. Though ratification of the Fifteenth Amendment ostensibly extended the franchise, state election laws still forced men of color into a perilous struggle for full citizenship. Ric S. Sheffield depicts their courage and determination, revealing their humanity through stories of sacrifice, resistance, and hope. Drawing on Saidiya Hartmans concept of critical fabulation, Sheffield weaves together historical records with imaginative reconstructions of dialogue, setting, and descriptive elements beyond the dusty courthouse pages. Grounded in archival evidence yet reimagined to fill in the silences, these stories recount the lived experiences of those who risked everything to exercise their right to vote. False Promises also connects these historical battles to the present, illustrating how voter-suppression tactics in todays Ohio have roots in the racial exclusions of the nineteenth century. By exposing the enduring legacy of white supremacist policies, the book challenges the widespread misconception that racial disenfranchisement was solely a southern problem. Ohios complex racial history-noted for its role in the Underground Railroad but also for its repressive Black Laws-also includes a fierce and ongoing struggle over the right to vote. Through compelling storytelling, historical analysis, and a reclamation of voices lost to history, False Promises urges readers to reconsider their understanding of democracy and the right to vote. Grounded in primary sources, this book uses critical fabulation to envision how men of color fought against Ohio's racist nineteenth-century voting restrictions. It reveals how contemporary voter-suppression tactics have roots in Ohio's history and challenges the perception that such historical practices were solely confined to the South. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability. Seller Inventory # 9780804012577
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Paperback. Condition: New. Brings to life the struggle for Black suffrage in nineteenth-century Ohio In False Promises, the fight for Black voting rights in Ohio comes alive through narratives of men of color who defied the state's nineteenth-century restrictions on suffrage. Though ratification of the Fifteenth Amendment ostensibly extended the franchise, state election laws still forced men of color into a perilous struggle for full citizenship. Ric S. Sheffield depicts their courage and determination, revealing their humanity through stories of sacrifice, resistance, and hope. Drawing on Saidiya Hartman's concept of critical fabulation, Sheffield weaves together historical records with imaginative reconstructions of dialogue, setting, and descriptive elements beyond the dusty courthouse pages. Grounded in archival evidence yet reimagined to fill in the silences, these stories recount the lived experiences of those who risked everything to exercise their right to vote. False Promises also connects these historical battles to the present, illustrating how voter-suppression tactics in today's Ohio have roots in the racial exclusions of the nineteenth century. By exposing the enduring legacy of white supremacist policies, the book challenges the widespread misconception that racial disenfranchisement was solely a southern problem. Ohio's complex racial history-noted for its role in the Underground Railroad but also for its repressive Black Laws-also includes a fierce and ongoing struggle over the right to vote. Through compelling storytelling, historical analysis, and a reclamation of voices lost to history, False Promises urges readers to reconsider their understanding of democracy and the right to vote. Seller Inventory # LU-9780804012577
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