This book follows the historical trajectory of African Americans and
their relationship with the Mississippi River dating back to the 1700s
and ending with Hurricane Katrina and the still-contested Delta
landscape.
Long touted in literary and historical works, the Mississippi River
remains an iconic presence in the American landscape. Whether referred
to as "Old Man River" or the "Big Muddy," the Mississippi River
represents imageries ranging from the pastoral and Acadian to turbulent
and unpredictable. However, these imageries-revealed through the
cultural production of artists, writers, poets, musicians, and even
filmmakers-did not reflect the experiences of everyone living and
working along the river. Missing is a broader discourse of the African
American community and the Mississippi River. Through the experiences of
African Americans with the Mississippi River, which included narratives
of labor (free and enslaved), refuge, floods, and migration, a different
history of the river and its environs emerges.
The book brings multiple perspectives together to explore this rich
history of the Mississippi River through the intersection of race and
class with the environment. The text will be of great interest to
students and researchers in environmental humanities, including
environmental justice studies, ethnic studies, and US and African
American history.