Neither
Black Nor White
Slavery
and Race Relations in Brazil and the United States
Carl Degler
"This is one of the most important books written on the subject
of comparative race relations since Slave and Citizen [by Frank Tannenbaum]. Degler's treatment of the nature of contemporary
race relations is masterful." —The Americas
Carl Degler's 1971 Pulitzer-Prize-winning study of comparative
slavery in Brazil and the United States is reissued in the Wisconsin
paperback edition, making it accessible for all students of American
and Latin American history and sociology.
Until Degler's groundbreaking work, scholars were puzzled by
the differing courses of slavery and race relations in the two
countries. Brazil never developed a system of rigid segregation,
such as appeared in the United States, and blacks in Brazil were
able to gain economically and retain far more of their African
culture. Rejecting the theory of Giberto Freyre and Frank Tannenbaum
that Brazilian slavery was more humane, Degler instead
points to a combination of demographic, economic, and cultural
factors as the real reason for the differences.
"In the early 1970s when studies in
social history were beginning to blossom on the North American
scene, Carl Degler's prize-winning contribution was a thoughtful
provocative essay in comparative history. Its thoughtfulness
has not diminished with the years. Indeed, it is as topical today
as when it was first published. The Brazilian experience with
rapid industrialization and its attempt to restore democratic
government indicates that the issues which Degler treated in
the early 1970s are more pertinent than ever today."—Franklin
W. Knight, Department of History, Johns Hopkins University
Carl Degler is Margaret Byrne Professor of American History Emeritus at Stanford University. He is also the author of several books including In Search of Human Nature: The Decline and Revival of Darwinism in American Social Thought.
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July 1986
LC: 86-04078 F
328 pp. 5 1/2 x 8 1/2
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