
Take Freedom
Recovering the Fugitive History of the Denmark Vesey Affair
James O'Neil Spady(Author)
The University of North Carolina Press
Will be published approx. on 31. January 2026
Book
Hardback
240 pages
978-1-4696-8636-3 (ISBN)
Description
In 822, Black Charlestonians attempted to overthrow slavery. They were exposed before they could strike, and many were tried and executed in what has come to be known as the Denmark Vesey Affair. Take Freedom reinterprets these events on the basis of new evidence and methods. James O'Neil Spady narrates the roles of a variety of Black men and women, arguing that the uprising was a broadly based, African-influenced social movement that marshaled radical love and fugitive practices of freedom to ignite a revolution that sought to liberate beloved friends, families, and communities from increasingly aggressive and racializing slaveowners.
Uncovering never-before-consulted, unpublished documents, Spady names the clerk who made the trial records and settles old arguments about their reliability. Take Freedom demonstrates the realism of the uprising movement's strategy and uses social network mapping to illustrate the social dynamics within the Black community, emphasizing the roles of women and relationships among enslaved people. Ultimately, this book offers a more inclusive and accurate portrayal of this pivotal yet understudied revolutionary movement.
Uncovering never-before-consulted, unpublished documents, Spady names the clerk who made the trial records and settles old arguments about their reliability. Take Freedom demonstrates the realism of the uprising movement's strategy and uses social network mapping to illustrate the social dynamics within the Black community, emphasizing the roles of women and relationships among enslaved people. Ultimately, this book offers a more inclusive and accurate portrayal of this pivotal yet understudied revolutionary movement.
More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
Chapel Hill
United States
Target group
Professional and scholarly
College/higher education
Product notice
Trade binding
Illustrations
11 illustrations - 11 halftones, 4 maps, 1 tables - 1 Tables, unspecified - 11 Halftones, unspecified - 4 Maps
Dimensions
Height: 240 mm
Width: 161 mm
Thickness: 18 mm
Weight
549 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-4696-8636-3 (9781469686363)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

E-Book
01/2026
The University of North Carolina Press
€23.49
Available for download
Person
James O'Neil Spady is associate professor of American history at Soka University.