Anna-Lisa Cox’s book, The Bone and Sinew of the Land: America’s Forgotten Black Pioneers and the Struggle for Equality, was recently listed as one of Smithsonian’s Best History Books of 2018!
Anna-Lisa explores the stories of nearly 300 African-American families that migrated to the Northwest Territory in the early 19th century. In what would later become the present states of Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin, the Northwest Territory was the first territory to ban slavery and establish equal voting rights for all men. Despite the premise of equality within the Territory, these pioneers soon found themselves the target of racist backlash and conflict. The book explores the unique time and place to re-conceptualize the image of the American pioneer and explore the challenges they faced during this tumultuous period.
Congratulations on your achievement, Anna-Lisa!