Publisher Releases Updated and Re-written “From Slavery to Freedom”: WASHINGTON — Since the seminal Black history book — From Slavery to Freedom: A History of African Americans — was published in 1947, it continues to break ground with each new edition that emerges.
Black history scholar-activist Dr. John Hope Franklin’s influential work comes alive in its ninth rendition under the direction of his mentee Dr. Evelyn Brooks Higginbotham. She brings the narrative into the 21st century with scholarship on the African-American experience.
Franklin’s son Dr. John W. Franklin said the development of the civil rights movement could be followed by gauging the rise in demand for the book, when commenting on his father’s legacy during a Thursday commemoration event at the National Archives in Washington, D.C.
“As people became more aware of their history, it was difficult to keep up with demand,” he said during a question-and-answer session before a crowd of about 50 people. “It’s used as proof of our history.”
