Abrahams has selected this collection of tales concerning the experiences of African-Americans during and after slavery in South and Central America, the Caribbean, and the American South in an attempt to seriously look at Afro-American folktales (mostly collected by whites) in the New World

Zulu, Itibari M.

English

VCU Scholars Compass

Roger D. Abrahams,  ed. Stories from Black Traditions in the New World. (New York: Pantheon Books,  1 985)  xxii, 327 pp. $22 .95; $ 1 1 .95 p aper. Abrahams has selected this collecti on of tales concerning the ex­periences of African-Americans during and after s lavery in South and Central America ,  the C aribbean , and the American South in an  attempt to seriously look at Afro-American folktales ( m ostly collected by whites) in the New World. The content is p otent, diverse ,  and can be controversial ,  as it  moves from a sexist "Never Seen His Equal" tale about " . . .  how God gave her the curse . . .  " to a vulgar " Stakolee" via Philadelphia,  to a stereotypic "John Outruns the Lord" plantati on story and moral tales suitable for children. Abrahams is scholarly sympathetic to the work of Joe! Chan dler H arris 's  Uncle Rem us tales ,  which he admits are racist ,  but "deserve to be looked at more closely and sympathetically" beca use they ha ve been "neglected by those who wish to celebrate the Black Achievement. " H owever, he is quick to mention that although " . . .  many of these tales appear to confirm certain stereotypical notions about Afro-Americans . . .  " h i s  intent is to d ispel those notions by organizing  this co llecti on.  1'h U,;, 11l: wl'i te,; " . . . th l' m aj ority o fthe  s to ries go far h eyo n d  Uncle Rem u ,;  an dll i . friends . . .  " to report" . . .  not only the p erseverance of an uprooted and enslaved people but  the vitality of the cultural traditions they were able to maintain and build upon . . .  " in many p arts of the New World where Afro-American com muniti es were established .  Those who want to " . . . celebrate the Bl ack A chievempn t  as Abrahams calls it ,  wil l  be di sa ppointed by the lack of p rai se son g:;. epics, rebel sla ve stories and other experiences that p ortray an aggres>,i \'p and vibra nt  Afro-American tradition of resistance to oppression . Thus th is  wel l  organized (bibliographical notes ,  prefatory essay, appendix ,  i n t r o­ductions) thematic 1 0 7  tale volume is not a " progressive" collection of l i terature, b u t  rather a work for folklore students and those who wan t a glimpse of 1 9th and 20th century folklore and who can wade throu gh the pages to fi nd the sexist ,  the v ulgar unrepresen tativ e  urban tale,;, and the l one Sea Island moral tale wil l  enj oy ,  and remember, " . . .  this is a book of elaborate fictions told by tale spinners , first and last , for the fu n of it . . .... -Itibari M. Zu lu C alifornia Institute of Pan African Studies Explorations in Sights an d Sounds N o. 7 (Summer 1 987) 

[Review of] Roger D. Abrahams, ed. Stories from Black Traditions in the New World

https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1275&amp;context=ess

[Review of] Roger D. Abrahams, ed. Stories from Black Traditions in the New World

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