Robert talks to author Brenda Stevenson about her book Family and Community in the Slave South. Which tells the story of Blacks and Whites in the early days of Loudon County, Virginia. She has found that contrary to many other histories, there is little evidence of strong nuclear family life among slaves. She says the cause is partly traced to the central role of extended family in west africa which precluded european-style nuclear family -- and the habit of slaveowners moving individual slaves around, destroying relationships.
Copyright 1996 NPR
