The Accidental Slaveowner

Revisiting a Myth of Race and Finding an American Family

Nonfiction, Social & Cultural Studies, Social Science, Discrimination & Race Relations, History, Americas, United States, 19th Century
Cover of the book The Accidental Slaveowner by Mark Auslander, University of Georgia Press
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Mark Auslander ISBN: 9780820341927
Publisher: University of Georgia Press Publication: October 1, 2011
Imprint: University of Georgia Press Language: English
Author: Mark Auslander
ISBN: 9780820341927
Publisher: University of Georgia Press
Publication: October 1, 2011
Imprint: University of Georgia Press
Language: English

What does one contested account of an enslaved woman tell us about our difficult racial past? Part history, part anthropology, and part detective story, The Accidental Slaveowner traces, from the 1850s to the present day, how different groups of people have struggled with one powerful story about slavery.

For over a century and a half, residents of Oxford, Georgia (“the birthplace of Emory University”), have told and retold stories of the enslaved woman known as “Kitty” and her owner, Methodist bishop James Osgood Andrew, first president of Emory’s board of trustees. Bishop Andrew’s ownership of Miss Kitty and other enslaved persons triggered the 1844 great national schism of the Methodist Episcopal Church, presaging the Civil War. For many local whites, Bishop Andrew was only “accidentally” a slaveholder, and when offered her freedom, Kitty willingly remained in slavery out of loyalty to her master. Local African Americans, in contrast, tend to insist that Miss Kitty was the Bishop’s coerced lover and that she was denied her basic freedoms throughout her life.

Mark Auslander approaches these opposing narratives as “myths,” not as falsehoods but as deeply meaningful and resonant accounts that illuminate profound enigmas in American history and culture. After considering the multiple, powerful ways that the Andrew-Kitty myths have shaped perceptions of race in Oxford, at Emory, and among southern Methodists, Auslander sets out to uncover the “real” story of Kitty and her family. His years-long feat of collaborative detective work results in a series of discoveries and helps open up important arenas for reconciliation, restorative justice, and social healing.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

What does one contested account of an enslaved woman tell us about our difficult racial past? Part history, part anthropology, and part detective story, The Accidental Slaveowner traces, from the 1850s to the present day, how different groups of people have struggled with one powerful story about slavery.

For over a century and a half, residents of Oxford, Georgia (“the birthplace of Emory University”), have told and retold stories of the enslaved woman known as “Kitty” and her owner, Methodist bishop James Osgood Andrew, first president of Emory’s board of trustees. Bishop Andrew’s ownership of Miss Kitty and other enslaved persons triggered the 1844 great national schism of the Methodist Episcopal Church, presaging the Civil War. For many local whites, Bishop Andrew was only “accidentally” a slaveholder, and when offered her freedom, Kitty willingly remained in slavery out of loyalty to her master. Local African Americans, in contrast, tend to insist that Miss Kitty was the Bishop’s coerced lover and that she was denied her basic freedoms throughout her life.

Mark Auslander approaches these opposing narratives as “myths,” not as falsehoods but as deeply meaningful and resonant accounts that illuminate profound enigmas in American history and culture. After considering the multiple, powerful ways that the Andrew-Kitty myths have shaped perceptions of race in Oxford, at Emory, and among southern Methodists, Auslander sets out to uncover the “real” story of Kitty and her family. His years-long feat of collaborative detective work results in a series of discoveries and helps open up important arenas for reconciliation, restorative justice, and social healing.

More books from University of Georgia Press

Cover of the book America's Corporal by Mark Auslander
Cover of the book Regional Pathways to Nuclear Nonproliferation by Mark Auslander
Cover of the book Coastal Nature, Coastal Culture by Mark Auslander
Cover of the book The Nashville Sound by Mark Auslander
Cover of the book Sorry I Worried You by Mark Auslander
Cover of the book Bamboo Fly Rod Suite by Mark Auslander
Cover of the book The Black Panther Party in a City near You by Mark Auslander
Cover of the book Subaltern Geographies by Mark Auslander
Cover of the book Faith Based by Mark Auslander
Cover of the book Jekyll Island's Early Years by Mark Auslander
Cover of the book Stuck by Mark Auslander
Cover of the book Solitary Goose by Mark Auslander
Cover of the book The Adventures of Peregrine Pickle by Mark Auslander
Cover of the book Geographical Diversions by Mark Auslander
Cover of the book Black Woman Reformer by Mark Auslander
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy