The Black Hearts of Men Essay Example for Free

The ominous Hearts of Men Essay posterior Stauffer, in his leger The Black Hearts of Men sets expose to make one simple consign through four men. He aims to bring to light the structured and revolutionary goals of what he describes as the only true revolutionaries among antebellum abolitionists. These were John Brown, Frederick Douglass, Dr. James McCune smith, and Gerrit Smith. By describing for the premier time these personalities and their actions as a run of sociological struggle, Stauffer sheds new light on a twilit moment in American historyOne of the goals that Stauffer is intent upon is proving that these important figures beliefs were more than vindicatory piety and reform but more specifically religion and class. This is an important distinction, because by attempting to prove this the author impart show peradventure a bit more far reaching importance of their work. Rather than comprehend them as isolated agents of counterchange, he treats them as represe ntatives of a social construct. This then lends more credence to their ideals and the denunciation of the society in which they lived. Stauffer does an especially good job in proving this in chapter entitled Glimpsing Gods World on Earth.Here, nearly contrary to the title he analyzes this view. Especially focusing on the die cognise John Brown (as compargond to the others in the book), he shows that the struggles to change society were just that an effort to change equalities of classes and not just a blind attempt to change laws. Another important facet of Stauffers writing appears to be his rejuvenation of the history of Gerrit Smith. Despite the fact that the book features aspects of the very well known Douglass, and the infamous Brown, it is the focusing of narrative on Smith that sets this book apart from others on the subject.In this way, too, he restresses the vitality of his original point ab emerge the abolitionist movement being part of a greater class struggle, and t herefore more important to Americas history than generally related. Each chapter returns to Smith in some way and with some new angle, to bring out the key figures integral part in the level offts. This in an unexpected thing, and again is successful. Chapter 5, Bible Politics and the Creation of the bond shows how this is accomplished. What is expected is a religious treatment on how everyone should be equal and loved.However, what is discussed is Smiths mess that the Bible is a socio-political tool that can be used not to justify merely ecumenic love, but as a catalyst for social change. It is Smith that is given credit by Stauffer, and perhaps very justly, for the larger guiding principles of the movement. The third function of The Black Hearts of Men is to bring out into the open the unjust blindness the country has regarding Smith, Brown, Smith and Douglass. Even worse is the general ignorance of them shown by even their contemporary abolitionists as soon as 1874.According to Stauffer, the history of these men, their aims and their achievements began to fade as soon as their alliance was broken. Certainly Douglasss fierce orations on the subject of slavery are remembered in textbooks today. Likewise, John Brown and his daring raid on Harpers Ferry are also open up in popular retellings of the Civil War. However, there is no mention neither Gerrit Smith, nor Dr. James McCune Smith. In point of fact, these latter two are not only unmentioned, but are completely forgotten passim history in its popular sense.Perhaps worst of all, Stauffer implies, is that the connections between even the two remembered figures are severed. in that location is no sense of a joined movement or ideals between the two. They are just revolutionaries who are known for their behaviors and actions, not shared sense of a larger, social and class related revolution. They were out to form the perfect world but are only known as abolitionist icons. John Stauffers aims of his book are far-reaching and accomplished. The Black Hearts of Men is successful because it accomplished the relation of its purposes.It brings to light the unify and revolutionary goals of what he describes as the true revolutionaries among antebellum abolitionists and their personal histories are properly rejuvenated. Most importantly, the book succeeds in showing just how much more there was to the abolitionist movement not just revolutionary zeal, but agent for sociological change. ? BIBLIOGRAPHY John Stauffer. The Black Hearts of Men Radical Abolitionists and the faulting of Race. Cambridge, MA Harvard UP, 2001.