Description
Book SynopsisNick Bromell examines how Frederick Douglass forged a distinctively black political philosophy out of his experiences as an enslaved and later nominally free man in ways that challenge Anglo-Continental traditions of political thought.
Trade Review“
The Powers of Dignity is an impressive, thorough, and detailed reconstruction of Frederick Douglass as political philosopher, and should immediately become a major reference text not just for Douglass scholarship but also for the broader project of retrieving and theorizing a distinct African American political tradition. Nick Bromell's book distinguishes itself by his impressive interdisciplinary ambition to bring together philosophy, literary studies, political theory, cognitive science, and new materialism. This is an exciting reconceptualization of the political cartography.” -- Charles W. Mills, author of * Black Rights/White Wrongs: The Critique of Racial Liberalism *
“Nick Bromell writes beautifully, and he has an illuminating story to tell about Frederick Douglass's political imagination from the 1840s to the 1890s. As Bromell shows, Douglass's political thinking about race and democracy was constantly in flux, mediated by his experience in slavery and his commitment to the Black freedom struggle. This is an exemplary contribution to our understanding of one of the most important figures in American history.” -- Robert S. Levine, author of * The Lives of Frederick Douglass *
"This is an important study at a time when critical race theory is being banned in states like Oklahoma and Texas. Highly recommended. Advanced undergraduates through faculty."
-- R. T. Prus * Choice *
“
The Powers of Dignity is exactly the kind of book our nation and era needs.... [It] is both an exciting contribution to the literature on Frederick Douglass and a sobering reminder that the roots of our democracy and the theorizing that accompanies it are ‘a site of endless struggle.’” -- Ange-Marie Hancock * Perspectives on Politics *
“[
The Powers of Dignity]—gracefully written, wide-ranging, and compelling—makes a laudable contribution to Douglass scholarship. Scholars in political theory, literature, African American studies, and related fields will benefit from Nick Bromell’s excellent monograph.” -- Nathan Pippenger * Review of Politics *
“
The Powers of Dignity is an ingenious, determined, and stimulating interpretation of a part of Frederick Douglass’s political philosophy. . . . I greatly admire Bromell’s book, particularly for its subtlety and originality.” -- Bernard R. Boxill * American Political Thought *
“At once dialectical and venturesome, it reimagines the mind of Frederick Douglass on Douglass’s own exceptional terms. One hopes academic philosophy and US political thought take notice.”
-- Maurice Wallace * American Literary History *
Table of ContentsAcknowledgments vii
Introduction. "The Thing Looked Absurd": The
Black in Douglass's Political Philosophy 1
1. "To Become a Colored Man": Proposing Black Powers to the Black Public Sphere 17
2. "A Chapter of Political Philosophy Applicable to the American People": Human Nature, Human Dignity, Human Rights 38
3. "One Method for Expressing Opposite Emotions": Douglass's Fugitive Rhetoric 55
4. "Assault Compels Defense": Douglass on Black Emigration and Violence 82
5. "A Living Root, Not a Twig Broken Off": Douglass's Constitutionalism and the Paradox of Democracy's Foundations 101
6. "Somebody's Child": Awakening, Resistance, and Vulnerability in
My Bondage and My Freedom 124
7. "Nothing Less Than a Radical Revolution": Douglass's Struggle for a Democracy without Race 159
8. "That Strange, Mysterious, and Indescribable": The Fugitive Legacy of Douglass's Political Thought 188
Notes 207
Bibliography 243
Index 263
