ANNAPOLIS, Md., April 6, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to notes he wrote over two hundred years ago, Thomas Jefferson laid out a plan for solving "the Negro problem" that called for the establishment of a foreign colony just for Africans. Although his proposal appealed to several white leaders, it was not until 1817 when a genuine organizing effort was launched by the American Colonization Society. A fascinating look back at the movement that faded away is all set to begin with the release of Back to Africa?: The Solution to America's Race Problem as Viewed by Jefferson, Madison, Clay, and Lincoln, a new book authored by Charles A. Nelson.
Filled with numerous historical references, Back to Africa? sheds light on America's concern with the African minority as handled by four different leaders. It reveals that Jefferson's friend James Madison supported the colonization proposal and later handled by Henry Clay with the American Colonization Society. At the height of its influence, hundreds of chapters of the Society were formed in cities, towns, and states throughout the country. Although a colony was established in what is now called Liberia, it soon became evident that the project would fail and there was no fundamental way to persuade Africans to return to Africa. Still, white leaders went on to promote the idea and among them was Abraham Lincoln, who remained active with the movement until the final year of the Civil War. This book is a comprehensive documentation on the commitment of four prominent Americans -- Jefferson, Madison, Clay, and Lincoln -- and explains, in detail, why the movement failed and what persuaded Lincoln to realize that it is possible for white and black people to live together in equal freedom.
Richly-layered and detailed, Back to Africa?: The Solution to America's Race Problem as Viewed by Jefferson, Madison, Clay, and Lincoln is highly-recommended to history enthusiasts and researchers alike. For more information, please visit Xlibris.com or call (888) 795-4274 today.
About the Author
Soon after graduating from St. John's College, Annapolis, Charles A. Nelson became director of the American Foundation for Political Education, organizing seminars in world politics and American foreign policy in cosponsorship with the University of Chicago and, subsequently, in cooperation with universities, libraries, and foreign policy groups across the country. After leaving Chicago for New York, Nelson began a long career as a consultant to colleges, universities, and other nonprofit institutions. President Gerald R. Ford appointed him to the National Council on Educational Research. Among other trusteeships, he served as chairman of the Executive Council on Foreign Diplomats. He is the author or editor of books on foreign policy, education, management, and business ethics. In retirement, he founded a weekly newspaper in Croton-on-Hudson, New York. He and his wife, Anne, now live in Annapolis. Visit his website at www.neodestinyfanatics.com
Back To Africa? * by Charles A. Nelson
The Solution to America's Race Problem as Viewed
by Jefferson, Madison, Clay, and Lincoln
Publication Date: March 19, 2009
Trade Paperback; $19.99; 166 pages; 978-1-4415-1209-3
Cloth Hardback; $29.99; 166 pages; 978-1-4415-1210-9
To purchase copies of the book for resale, please fax Xlibris at (610) 915-0294 or call (888) 795-4274 x. 7876.