A Short History of Slavery in America

St. Louis: Amerika Print, 1919. First Edition. Pamphlet. Good. An offprint from the Fortnightly Review, in which the leading Mexican American historian of his time argues that Native Americans and African slaves were treated better in Spanish America than in the United States. His view of the enslaved people is best expressed by quoting his summary of the situation in 16th century Spanish America, "The Negroes not only retrograded to their original savagery, but dragged the Indians with them."

Benjamin Maurice Read (Las Cruces, NM, 1852 - Santa Fe, NM, 1927) was the leading Latino historian in New Mexico. His father, Benjamin Franklin Read, was an American soldier who married a New Mexican, Maria Ignacia Cano. Read became a lawyer and served in the territorial legislature and as speaker of the New Mexico House of Representatives. In 1910, he began publishing a series of historical works looking at New Mexico history from the viewpoint of its residents of Spanish origin. His view of history, as a story that needed to consider ethnic and cultural viewpoints, was unusual at the time.

7 pages. First edition (first separate printing). Wrappers chipped at the edges; Library of Congress duplicate stamp on the front wrapper. Uncommon.