Articles on PR for People

White Cargo, a meticulously researched narrative, proves slavery in America was much more than a matter of racism and was instead rooted in greed, corruption, power and economics. The existence of indentured servants in pre-colonial America has been recorded in historical annals. For a person to enter into a contract to be an indentured servant for a precise span of time to pay for one’s passage to America often appeared to be an earnest pursuit. What is not always apparent is the evidence of the untold numbers of men, women and children who were forcibly made slaves, albeit white slaves. 

Few works of literary fiction are set in Yonkers or depict life in Yonkers. Neil Simon wrote Lost in Yonkers, but he wasn't even from Yonkers. Lawrence Ferlinghetti was born in Yonkers, but that fact is frequently missing from his biography. Don DeLillo lived in Yonkers for many years but never wrote about it. It's about time that Yonkers should finally get its own place in the sun.  

The book is chock full of interesting information, if only the reader could easily grasp it. The writing is competent but unnecessarily complex, convoluted, and confusing. There are great gems in this book, but it takes hard work, mining and excavation, to separate what is precious from the dreck.

My childhood in Yonkers instilled me with a multi-ethnic, multi-racial view of life. My very first teacher, in kindergarten, was a woman of color. Throughout my life I have had friends and colleagues who are people of color. So why do I feel as though it is so difficult to talk about race? Furthermore, why did I have stiff resistance to reading this book?