Today linkoln is consider to be the great figure in our eyes due to his part in the cancelling the slavery in the US and most of us tend to forget about the beginning of this struggle against slavery and racism. This book, which is about 100 years old, examines the history on those facts. Here there are given some facts about the slavery, the war. The author researches how Afro-Americans lived in Illinois as slaves. They were treated as 2nd class people, had almost no rights and it took part almost the whole 18 and 19 century! The work includes the enthusiasm, his youth willing to struggle for their rights.
The book is splited into 13 chapters due to chronological events and structure. They are actually as following: Illinois before the statehood, early statehood, the rise of abolitionism and the penetration of the abolitionism into the mainstream Illinois politics.
Of course, the treatment of afro-american immigrants is the less part of the history of the whole state, but they used to be e of the most numerous group of immigrants who came to Illinois. Harris punctually depicts the situation that reigned in the state Illinois. The Congress cancelled the slavery, but de facto it continued to remain for long time yet. The laws were very oftened “forgotten” and the most part of the afro-americans remained unguarded and were continued to be exploited strongly, although according to the law “the white people” were already forbidden to behave in that way. So, if you are really interested in that question about the slavery and the history of America on the whole you are strongly recommended to read this book.
Almost 100 years ago Harris concluded his book stating: "How and when it (the negro question) will be solved no one can tell, but solved it must be before peace and concord can prevail throughout this State and this Country." Actually many problems of that time not only remaine nowadays may be in some vague form, but also are progressing now strongly. The main facts we are to pay our attention is the world racism and laws against it. So, the book is useful not for those, who is interested in American history, but for every common-sensed human being.