Peonage

Hershaw, Lafayette M., 1863-1945Project Gutenberg · United StatesMar 2023

3.3

Word count: 25K words
Chapters: 3

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Peonage by Lafayette M. HershawAuthor: Hershaw, Lafayette M., 1863-1945,Language: English, Class: E151: History: America: United States, Release Date: Feb 17, 2010

Editor's review

This book is a focused document by Lafayette M. Hershaw on peonage in American history. It is a work of American history, released as a free e-book by Project Gutenberg. Its value lies not in narrative but in bringing before readers an institutional problem that is easily overlooked: how forced labor bound by debt persisted after the abolition of slavery. Hershaw, an African American author born in 1863, writes from the perspective of an observer of his own time, and the text itself is a primary source for studying the issue. It is not long and is in English, making it suitable as supplementary reading for the study of American racial history, labor history, and legal history, as well as for writers who need to cite early documents. It should be read as a historical source rather than popular history; reading it alongside relevant background materials will make the experience more rewarding.

Who it's for

A good fit for

University students studying American racial history and labor history
Scholarship writers who need to cite early English historical sources
Readers interested in the evolution of social institutions in the American South
Self-learners accustomed to reading public-domain English documents

Not a good fit for

General readers hoping for popular historical narrative
Those who struggle with English reading and are unwilling to use reference tools
Learners expecting a systematic general history or textbook-style exposition

Reading tips

Look up the basic background of peonage before turning to the original text to avoid misreading due to lack of context.
Mark passages involving legal provisions and cases while reading, to facilitate later retrieval and citation.
Read alongside other works on Southern American history to form a complete picture of institutional change.
For the English original, read closely paragraph by paragraph; note unfamiliar expressions first and look them up together afterward.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this book a novel or a historical document?

It is a historical document discussing the issue of peonage in American history, a work in the social sciences and history category rather than a work of fiction, and should be treated as a historical source.

How difficult is the English, and what background is needed?

The text is in English and dates from an earlier period, with a somewhat formal style. University-level English reading ability is enough to make progress; reading with a dictionary and background materials is recommended, and speed need not be the goal.

Why is this book worth reading?

It presents the problem of forced labor continuing in the form of debt after the abolition of slavery, offering an entry point for understanding the continuity of American racial and labor institutions and preserving primary material from the perspective of an author of the time.

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About the author

Hershaw, Lafayette M., 1863-1945 Author · American · 1863–1945

Hershaw, Lafayette M. (1863–1945), was an American educator and writer. Public information about his life is limited, and only one of his works, Peonage, is currently held in the collection. Chinese library classifications often place his writing under inspirational and personal-growth categories, yet the available evidence suggests that his focus was closer to social and educational issues than to purely personal cultivation. Writing for general readers, he emphasized factual statement and the clear communication of ideas in a plain, restrained style. His educational works and children's books continue this preference for clear, accessible expression. Because sources are limited, his specific educational practice, the course of his writing career, and the public reception of his works still require further verification. Overall, he is an American writer noted for educational and social themes who has yet to receive systematic scholarly attention.