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Black Jacks: African American Seamen in the Age of Sail
Black Jacks African American Seamen in the Age of Sail Author:W. Jeffrey Bolster Few Americans recognize the degree to which early African American history is a maritime history. Seafaring was one of the most significant occupations among both enslaved and free black men between 1740 and 1865. W. Jeffrey Bolster, master mariner and historian, presents here an extraordinary chapter in the formation of black America. In B... more »lack Jacks, he shows that sailors were the eyes and ears to worlds beyond the horizon of black communities ashore, and examines how the meaning of race aboard ship changed with time. Rescuing African American seamen from obscurity, this stirring account reveals the critical role sailors played in helping forge new identities for black people in America.« less