Neither Black Nor White: Slavery and Race Relations in Brazil and the United States

by Carl N. Degler

Book Overview

Set in strife-torn Guatemala City in the early 1980s, this sophisticated, quasi-comedic tale depicts the decline and near-fall of a prominent Guatemalan Jewish family. In the face of military rule, terrorism, and sabotage, Marcos learns the truth about his brother Aaron, only to find that sibling secrets can be every bit as dangerous as civil unrest.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0299109143
• ISBN13: 9780299109141
• Release Date: May 1986
• Publisher: University of Wisconsin Press
• Length: 324 Pages
• Weight: 0.95 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.5" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

History at it Serious Best

Mr. Degler's book is writing and history at it serious best. Using Frank Tannenbaum's "Slave and Citizen," as a launching pad, Carl Degler adds in all the nuances, bells and whistles needed not only to give us a good historical account, but also to tell an exceedingly interesting story. He "texurizes" and puts "flesh and bones" onto Tannebaum's skeletal framework: Taking up where Tannenbaum's leaves off, he adds dimensionality to that author's work. In re-examining the Tannenbaum hypotheses with a fine-tooth comb, Degler sorts and churns them, and squeezes them until all the truth is wrung out. Then he begins anew with his own modified hypotheses that extend and builds upon those of Tannenbaum. In this re-examination, nothing is left to chance. Every cul de sac is explored until its secrets are dug up. Only then does Degler move on to the next topic and on to the next discovery. The book is much too rich and robust for a single review to do it any kind of justice; for the real substance lies in the beauty of the details and in the many culturally fresh examples. The best one can do is to point to the highlights of the book and to encourage the reader to buy it and discover for himself what outstanding historical writing is really like. In Degler's version of the comparative analysis of slavery in the U.S. and Brazil, two central questions guide the study: (1) What accounts for the development of miscegenation in Brazil, and the corresponding development of segregation in the U.S.? (2) Can the differences in the two forms of slavery account for these societal differences? It is chapter I and II, of six, that does the heavy lifting, as the author sets about the business of answering these two questions. Regarding the first, it seems that Brazil did not experience the same hardening of attitudes into a negative and stereotype-laced ideology about the evils of being blacks and of blackness, as was to become a commonplace in the U.S. This was true in part because, even during slavery, freed blacks were a normal accepted part of Brazilian societal and cultural life. Although there were, and still remain racial sensitivities, a racial caste system was not allowed to develop in Brazil. As far as the racial hierarchy was concerned, there were "whites" and descending gradations of mulattoes that led to blacks being at the bottom of the ladder. But a much more important difference, was that Brazilians always saw slavery as a "morally dirty business": a moral wrong, and unlike the majority of Americans, uniformly refused to identify with, or to rationalize its immorality. At no time, did Brazilian morality show sympathy for, or solidarity with, the slave owning classes as was done in the U.S. With the single exception of a handful of Quaker families from the Northeast (where slavery was unprofitable in any case), Americans North and South were sympathetic to the causes of the slave owning class, and after the Civil War, closed ranks to unify the natio

Partners in slavery

What large country in the Western hemisphere is a melting pot of races and religions, has a long history of geographically-based slavery, and whose popular culture portrays an image of "white is better"? Many people north of the border would instantly say America. But for those south of the border, Brazil might be the first answer. Both answers are correct as both Brazil and the USA are large countries with diverse populations and a history of slavery and racism. But the similarities end there and a host of differences arise. This book examines both and asks the question why. Why was racism more aligned with slavery in the US versus Brazil? Why is inter-racial marriage more acceptable in Brazil than in the US? Or more importantly, why do people of all colors often believe that "whiter is better" in both countries. This book attempts to answer these questions by examining the economic and social history of both countries, and how this was affected by the natural environment of climate and geography. I read this book as part of a college class, but it is a great stand-alone book that does not require an instructor to help you understand it. It is a good example of a multidiscplinary work, and draws from many fields in the social sciences such as history, economics, sociology, and geography. The book is great reading, and deservedly won the Pulitzer Prize in History in 1972. It is a good study on slavery, though its textual difficulty is beyond that of an introductory text on the subject.

A Must Read for Everyone

A very concise and succinct summary of race relations, their origins, and history in a very objective manner with numerous references to other credible sources. It also points the way to controlling the expression of racism at all social levels.

Perhaps the best book on race relations ever

By comparing and contrasting the two separate, though similar contries, Degler not only provides a world class history of the institution of slavery in both countries, but forces the reader to examine their own prejudices in the matter. Perhaps it is the best book written upon the subject, and is a valuable addition to historians, socialogists, and anyone interested in understanding the difficulties of overcoming discrimination.