Blacks In Berks

A history of Black people in Berks County, Pennsylvania. The author's introduction begins with a discussion of racism, stating that it "cannot be swept under the rug" but that "mentioning of racism is not an indictment; it is a diagnosis." Examines the history of Black people, racism, and race relations in Berks County from its founding through the time of writing. Includes investigations of the role Black people played in founding the United States, including a discussion of slavery and the Underground Railroad; their role in the iron industry, with emphasis given to Black men who contributed to the Revolutionary War; and social life in Reading, Pennsylvania, including discussion of segregation, education, and problems in the education system. Finally, the author concludes with a discussion of the 1950s and 1960s, noting "the change in attitudes and directions" of Black people in the United States and the reaction from white people, noting that reactions in Berks County were no different.

Pennsylvania's role in the development of American culture and society has received an increasing amount of attention in the past two decades, as the tercentenary celebrations of the founding of the province led to a reexamination of the colony and state's contributions to the ethnic and religious diversity of modern America. With increasing pluralism, however, the religious group that was most prominent in the establishment of the province - the Society of Friends, or Quakers - declined in its impact and importance.

The story of the American Revolution in rural Pennsylvania.

"This book--the first to investigate the rich and complex lives of rural women during this period--focuses on women in the Philadelphia hinterland and shows how they became an essential part of that area's rise to agricultural prominence." The author concludes that "rural women in the mid-Atlantic region decreased patriarchal power within the family, became active shapers of the process of commercialization and economic development, and carved out new roles for themselves in public life--providing the base for the development of the feminist movement in the antebellum era"--Jacket.

Compiles information and interpretations on the past 500 years of African American history, containing essays on historical research aids, bibliographies, resources for womens' issues, and an accompanying CD-ROM providing bibliographical entries.

A manual for the beginner to develop sources for studying the genealogy of his family.