New book examines the history of being an African-American child

Childhood and adolescence are more prominent in discussions and debates across the country today. Topics such as how to protect children from harmful media influences, childhood homelessness and poverty, children with psychiatric problems and school reform have become volatile topics in political campaigns. Despite this interest in childhood and an outpouring of new publications on the subject, a void remains in the general historical literature about African-American children. African American Childhood, written by Wilma King, a University of Missouri-Columbia professor of History, seeks to help fill this void.

"Attempting to recapture the voices from the 19th and 20th centuries is a daunting task, especially when one recognizes that black children generally had little opportunity to record events in their lives, and even more rarely did such accounts come to be published," King said.

King's book is a collection of essays addressing selected themes in American history. It explores how major events, including the trans-Atlantic slave trade, Civil War, Great Depression and modern Civil Rights Movement affected the lives of black children. King believes her book challenges traditional ways of historical thinking about black children.

For example, a significant number of enslaved children did not live on plantations during the antebellum era, King said. One essay examines the lives of children living in professional households serving doctors, lawyers and politicians. Another essay looks at free black children in the slave era, while another relates the life of a black teenage girl during the Great Depression.

"Recovering the voices and experiences of these children reveals nuances about their legal status, class standing and social development that counter accepted historical wisdom," King said.

The book is divided into two parts. The first section examines children's lives before emancipation; the second looks at 20th century perspectives. The essays also discuss topics such as the relationships between black and white children, the essence of liberty for black children, federal funding, and media representations of black children.

"Although recent observations suggest a progression toward social and economic goals, it does not suggest that further inquiry into the condition of the majority of America's black children should cease," King said. "Instead, it is vital to continue these efforts to answer questions about the consideration given to African-American children in public policy debates related to health, the welfare system, child protective services, gun control, substance abuse, resegregation and violent imagery in the media."

King's book will be published in the coming months.

Links:

Wilma King
Department of History

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