Between the American Revolution and the U.S. Civil War, as notions of citizenship became increasingly racially restrictive, black writers developed a practice-based theory of citizenship centered on political participation, mutual aid, and daily interactions. They contended that citizenship is defined not by identity but by actions. Derrick R. Spires explores the evolution of early black print culture alongside changing legal and cultural definitions of U.S. citizenship from 1787, with the Constitution's framing and the founding of the Free African Society, to 1861, as the Civil War approached. He highlights lesser-known figures like William J. Wilson, whose "Afric-American Picture Gallery" was published in The Anglo-African Magazine, and James McCune Smith, a physician and abolitionist. Spires analyzes texts from black state conventions alongside well-known figures like Frances Ellen Watkins Harper and Frederick Douglass. By viewing black print culture as a site for theorizing and practicing citizenship, he illustrates how concepts of black citizenship emerged from a vibrant and diverse literary community, transcending simplistic representations. The book shows that black writers framed citizenship not just as a reaction to white supremacy but as an essential element in shaping their communities and addressing their political, social, and cultural needs.
