The Education of the Negro Prior to 1861 A History of the Education of the Colored People of the United States from the Beginning of Slavery to the Civil War

"The Education of the Negro Prior to 1861" by Carter Godwin Woodson is a historical exploration of the education of African Americans from the beginning of slavery to the Civil War. It looks at how enslaved people and free blacks struggled for knowledge during this time. The book starts by describing two main time periods: one where some slave owners thought it was helpful to educate their slaves, and another where people opposed this education because they were scared of revolts. Woodson points out the important roles of supportive slave owners, religious people doing missionary work, and activists who tried to better the educational chances for blacks, even when laws were against it. However, the story also presents the growing efforts to block African Americans from getting an education as slavery continued. This introduction highlights the author's scholarly approach and his mission to promote the intellectual abilities and rights of blacks in American society.