Bennetts essential thrust is that lincoln was an oppressor who went out of his way to endorse slavery, including his. Thirtytwo years later, ebonys executive editor has expanded his sixpage critique into a book of more than 600 pages. The book is entitled forced into glory abraham lincoln s white dream and its author, lerone bennett, jr. As for the emancipation proclamation, it was not a real emancipation proclamation at all, and did not liberate africanamerican slaves. October 17, 1928 february 14, 2018 was an africanamerican scholar, author and social historian, known for his analysis of race relations in the united states. Executive editor of ebony and author of several books on africanamerican history, bennett first attracted attention as a harsh critic of lincoln in 1968, when he published an article in ebony titled was abe lincoln a white supremacist. According to eyewitness henry villard, presidentelect abraham lincoln told the story of the kentucky.
Jun 18, 2000 lincoln, according to bennett, was a racist, a white supremacist, a wily and determined foe of equal rights and black liberation, a political opportunist, a naif, one of the major supporters of. Award winning teacher kerstin westcotts resignation speech in green bay school duration. The testimony of sixteen thousand books and monographs to the contrary notwithstanding, lincoln did not. Learn all about the books or magazines published by johnson publishing company, inc.
The author argued that president lincoln was a racist whose political mentor was. Karl marxs influence on abraham lincoln lewrockwell. Beginning with the argument that the emancipation proclamation did not actually free african american slaves, this dissenting view of lincolns greatness surveys the presidents policies, speeches, and private utterances and concludes that he had little real interest in abolition. Pointing to lincolns support for the fugitive slave laws, his friendship with slaveowning beginning with the. At the heart of bennett s revisionist appraisal of lincoln s legacy is the claim that the emancipation proclamation did not free a single slave, nor was it lincoln s intention to do so. Abraham lincolns white dream, published by johnson publishing. Bennett was born on october 17, 1928, in clarksdale, mississippi. The swiss scholar eduard fueter once observed that every historian must decide whether he wishes to write from the perspective of his own time, or from the perspective of those whom he is studying.
He is a faith, he is a church, he is a religion, and he has his own priests and acolytes, most of whom have a vested interest in him and who are passionately opposed to anybody telling the truth about him. The human side of reconstruction, a good book his general history of african americans, and a bad book on lincoln. Historian lerone bennett served as the executive editor of ebony for almost forty years. Popular history at its best, these books brought the fruits of scholarly. According to eyewitness henry villard, president elect abraham lincoln told the story of the kentucky.
Abraham lincolns white dream, which, for some, shattered centuriesold myths about the 16th presidents involvement in the freedom of slaves. Abraham lincolns white dream 9780874850857 by bennett jr. A history of black america, and ebony pictorial history of black america volume i. The executive editor of ebony magazine and author of before the mayflower. Bennett would go on to pen at least 10 books, including the 2000 book titled forced into glory. The book depicts president lincoln as a racist who grudgingly came to the. Bennett quotes from a letter that lincoln wrote in december 1860 to alexander stephens who later became vice president of the confederacy, whom lincoln had known when they both served in congress a dozen years earlier. In february, 1968, a prominent black journalist, lerone bennett, jr. Lerone bennett, historian and former executive editor of. Bennett worked for ebony magazine as an editor for five decades and is the author of 10 books on u. The human side of reconstruction, a good book his general history of. Lincoln was the embodiment of the american racist tradition.
Lincoln, according to bennett, was a racist, a white supremacist, a wily and determined foe of equal rights and black liberation, a political opportunist, a naif, one of the major supporters of. Abraham lincolns white dream by lerone bennett isbn. Still, if lincoln was the politician who held the views bennett claimed, it is difficult to see why he was not a member of the democratic party rather. His written work deftly explored the history of race relations in the united states as well as the current environment in which african americans strive for equality. His bestknown works include before the mayflower 1962 and forced into glory 2000, a book about u. Born in clarksdale, mississippi, he and his family moved to jackson when he was young.
Bennett was born in clarksdale, mississippi the son of lerone bennett sr. Apr 09, 2000 now, three decades later, bennett has produced a fullscale elaboration of his argument that lincoln was a racist and a supporter, not a foe, of slavery. Author ed steers, who has written about lincoln topics for many years, examines lerone bennetts controversial new book. I thought that book captured the essence of what i was trying to say in the sense that lincoln, from my standpoint, was driven, was forced into a glory that he resisted, i think, every step of the way. Well skilled in cunning wiles, he could make white of black and black of white. Lerone bennett spoke about his book forced into glory. Bennett has worked hard at making white of black and black of white. His book about lincoln changed my life, said comedian sinbad. Most recently those neoconservativesthose establishment conservatives whose conservatism is.
The testimony of sixteen thousand books and monographs to the contrary notwithstanding, lincoln. It criticizes united states president abraham lincoln and claims that his reputation as the great emancipator during the american civil war is undeserved. Abraham lincoln in the writings of lerone bennett jr. Author ed steers, who has written about lincoln topics for many years, examines lerone bennett s controversial new book. Abraham lincolns white dream by lerone bennett, jr. An avid black reader in the age of white supremacy, he had the good fortune of finding a white usedbook seller who allowed him to read when the store was closed. Bennett expanded his ideas into a 652page book, forced into glory. From the time lincoln settled in new salem in 1831, until he left illinois in 1861 for the white house, slaves and quasislaves were held, whipped, hunted, litigated and terrorized in that state. As for the emancipation proclamation, it was not a real emancipation proclamation at all, and did not liberate. The book is entitled forced into glory abraham lincolns white dream and its author, lerone bennett, jr. Bennett jr lerone abebooks abebooks shop for books. Your subtitle on the book is abraham lincolns white dream. Learn about 1 books published by johnson publishing company, inc. Abraham lincoln s white dream 2000 is a book by lerone bennett jr.
Writers as diverse as historian david donald, black writer lerone bennett, and professor thomas di lorenzo in two significant books, have attempted to dissect lincolns life and the revolutionary new america he gave birth to. Each generation, it is said, reinvents history in its own image. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Now, three decades later, bennett has produced a fullscale elaboration of his argument that lincoln was a racist and a supporter, not a foe, of slavery. Lerone bennett jr was the ebony magazine journalist and historian behind a provocative study that accused abraham lincoln of being a white supremacist. Books published by johnson publishing company, inc. Adam gurowski, one of his great critics during the civil war here in washington, wrote a paragraph which said that he was literally whipped. The testimony of sixteen thousand books and monographs to the contrary notwithstanding, lincoln did not emancipate the slaves, greatly or otherwise. Looking for books by lerone bennett jr see all books authored by lerone bennett jr. I had naively assumed that when a writer as well known and respected as lerone bennett jr. Since i was a child, i was just fascinated by the printed word, he once said.