Picturing Freedom: African Americans & Their Cars
Member Reviews
John S, Librarian
The automobile.
Cars.
Nothing is dearer to the hearts of Americans than our cars.
Hitting America HARD in the post WW2 book. The freedom that cars represented to people was unprecedented and inconceivable just a decade earlier.
And that's just white people.
The newfound freedom that cars brought to African Americans changed the world.
It also annoyed the Hell out of racist pricks, but that's another book.
Yet one more vital part of the American story that we were not taught in school.
Cars meant access to opportunities denied them before. The ability to move, to travel for employment, and most of all to engage in that most American of past times, The Sunday Drive.
Redefining life for generations, the impact of the car. Cannot be underestimated.
Rob O, Reviewer
With thanks to the authors, publishers Burns Archive Press, and NetGalley for providing me with a digital ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.
A fascinating insight into the history of car ownership by African Americans in the 20th century.
As well as prestige, owning a vehicle made travel more accessible for African Americans, allowed them to work further from home, and made it easier to avoid restrictive laws. On the other hand, it often also drew unwanted attention from those who would seek to harass and oppress.
The collection of photographs is stunning, highlighting some famous faces from the different eras covered, as well as unidentified people in different ordinary scenarios of everyday life. The pride of ownership shines through in all of the photos, and is clear to see on the faces of those people.
Whether you have an interest in African American history, a passion for old photographs, or are simply a lover of classic cars, this book has something for you, and would make a worthy addition to any collection.
