Holy Warriors

Revised to include important new scholarship, James Brewer Stewart's eloquent survey of the abolitionist movement is also a superb analysis of how the antislavery movement reinforced and transformed the dominant features of pre-Civil War America. Revealing the wisdom and na vete of the crusaders' convictions and examining the social bases for their actions, Stewart demonstrates why, despite the ambiguity of its ultimate victory, abolition has left a profound imprint on our national memory.
James Brewer Stewart, James Wallace Professor of History at Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota, is the author of "Joshua R. Giddings and the Tactics of Radical Politics"; "Wendell Philips: Liberty's Hero"; and "William Lloyd Garrison and the Challenge of Emancipation." Now revised to include important new scholarship, "Holy Warriors," James B. Stewart's eloquent and judicious history of American abolitionism, offers a superb analysis of how the antislavery movement reinforced and transformed the dominant features of pre-Civil War America. Revealing the wisdom and naivete of the crusaders convictions and examining the social bases for their actions, Stewart demonstrates why, despite the ambiguity of its ultimate victory, abolitionism has left a profound imprint on the national memory. "This is the best survey of the abolitionist movement in print. Based on a thorough mastery of the literature plus the author's own research in primary sources, it integrates recent interpretations with some provocative new hypotheses."--James M. McPherson ""Holy Warriors" is indeed an impressive study: lively, learned, and judicious. I know of no better introduction to the study of the antislavery movement."--Richard H. Sewell "Succinct, exceedingly well and provocatively written."--August Meier ""Holy Warriors" is an excellent book."--Hans L. Trefousse