he efforts made to educate the Negro prior to
1861. Consequently, from the first page of the book to the last, the reader
is continually acquiring facts concerning this most interesting and
important phase of the Colored-American's history of which he has never
heard before, and some of which seem too wonderful to be true. But it is
not possible to doubt anything which is found in Dr. Woodson's book. One
knows that every statement he reads concerning the education of the Negro
prior to 1861 is true, for the author has taken pains to substantiate every
fact that he presents.

It is difficult to imagine any phase of race history more fascinating and
more thrilling than an account of the desperate and prolonged struggle
between the forces which made for the mental and spiritual enlightenment
of the slave and those which opposed these humane and Christian efforts
with all the bitterness and strength at their command. The reasons
assigned by those who favored the education of the slaves and the
methods suggested together with the arguments used by those who were
opposed to it and the laws enacted to prevent it furnish an illuminating
study in human nature.

One is surprised to find that very early in the history of the colonies
there were scholars and statesmen who did not hesitate to declare their
belief in the intellectual possibilities of the Negro. These men agreed
with George Buchanan that the Negro had talent for the fine arts and under
favorable circumstances could achieve something worth while in literature,
mathematics and philosophy. The high estimate placed upon the innate
ability of the Negro may be attributed to the fact that early in the
history of the country there was a goodly number of slaves who had managed
to attain a certain intellectual proficiency in spite of the difficulties
which had to be overcome. By 1791 a colored minister had so distinguished
himself that he was called to the pastorate of the First Baptist Church
(white) of Portsmouth, Va. Benjamin Banneker's proficiency in mathematics
enabled him to make the first clock manufactured in the United States. As
the author himself says, "the instances of Negroes struggling to obtain an
education read like the beautiful romances of a people in an heroic age."

Indeed the reaction which developed against allowing the slaves to pick up
the few fragments of knowledge which they had been able to secure was due
to some extent to the enthusiasm and eagernes