{"product_id":"9780807895788","title":"First Fruits of Freedom: The Migration of Former Slaves and Their Search for Equality in Worcester, Massachusetts, 1862-1900","description":"A moving narrative that offers a rare glimpse into the lives of African American men, women, and children on the cusp of freedom, \u003ci\u003eFirst Fruits of Freedom\u003c\/i\u003e chronicles one of the first collective migrations of blacks from the South to the North during and after the Civil War. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eJanette Thomas Greenwood relates the history of a network forged between Worcester County, Massachusetts, and eastern North Carolina as a result of Worcester regiments taking control of northeastern North Carolina during the war. White soldiers from Worcester, a hotbed of abolitionism, protected refugee slaves, set up schools for them, and led them north at war's end. White patrons and a supportive black community helped many migrants fulfill their aspirations for complete emancipation and facilitated the arrival of additional family members and friends. Migrants established a small black community in Worcester with a distinctive southern flavor.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBut even in the North, white sympathy did not continue after the Civil War. Despite their many efforts, black Worcesterites were generally disappointed in their hopes for full-fledged citizenship, reflecting the larger national trajectory of Reconstruction and its aftermath.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"The University of North Carolina Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47129181585648,"sku":"9780807895788","price":21.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/9780807895788_p0.jpg?v=1763739344","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/9780807895788","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}