Review of The Peculiar Institution

Slavery in the Ante-Bellum South

May 3, 2009 Andrew Meeres

Stampp focuses on major aspects of slavery, from its rise in the South to the treatment of slaves by their owners, as well as the reasons the institution lasted so long.

The Peculiar Institution: Slavery in the Ante-Bellum South, a book authored by Kenneth Stampp (Vintage Books: New York 1956 ISBN: 0679723072 ), gives insight into the true character of this "most profound and vexatious social problem." (The phrase 'peculiar institution', is a term that was coined in the ante-bellum time, and refers to slavery.)

This book is a well written, matter of fact look of slavery, which dispels many of the common misconceptions that existed at the time the book was written, and still exist today.

Overview of The Peculiar Institution

Stampp cites several reasons that the 'peculiar institution' merits study, the most important of these is that, "one must know what slavery meant to the Negro and how he reacted to it before one can comprehend his more recent tribulations." (In reference to the civil rights movement - the context in which the book was written.) Stampp hypothesizes that the real tragedy for the South was not Reconstruction or civil war, but the growth of slavery.

The author details the growth of slavery in the south, explaining the determining factors resulting in such growth. He also describes the treatment of bondsmen, and how slavery survived in the south.

Current Relevance of The Peculiar Institution

The picture that Stampp paints is one of slavery as a malignant growth on the South. He illustrates clearly that one must understand the past, in order to understand the present. "Racist doctrines do not die with slavery." This can clearly be seen in present day society; cases such as the Rodney King beating, and the existence of societies like the Ku Klux Klan and white supremacy groups further illustrate his point.

"The southern 'race problem' grew out of such external differences as skin pigmentation, it has always been an artificial problem created by white men who...made an obsession of these racial superficialities."

Though Negroes today are no longer treated as possessions, many of the myths created in the ante-bellum south still exist in the minds of many people. "When freedom came...the Negro, in literal truth, lost nothing but his chains."

Kenneth Stampp has presented his arguments in a clear and concise way, leaving the reader with a good understanding of the nature of the 'peculiar institution.' He has outlined clearly not only the slaves' view of the institution, where possible, but also the slave owners' view. This gives the reader a better insight as to why slavery grew, and was maintained for such a long period.

The copyright of the article Review of The Peculiar Institution in History/Philosophy Books is owned by Andrew Meeres. Permission to republish Review of The Peculiar Institution in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.