In the final chapter of the book, Foner expresses the idea that the nations quest for freedom is still not over but only at its beginning, as he states Yet the political, civil and economic status of the former slaves-and, therefore the very nature of the reunited republic- remained undetermined (Foner, 2005).įorever Free, although appears to construct Reconstruction idea and equal nation building, still remains silent of the political struggles and class tensions. Slavery is our truth, slavery is our divine right (Foner, 2005). As what a South Carolina politician had said, Slavery is our king. Southern politicians believed that supporting Lincoln will prevent slavery from continuation. During the rise of Abraham Lincoln in power as he was elected as the first Republican President of the nation, many White Southerners were threatened and resulted to the creation of the Confederate States of America.

With the rise of the Republican Party, tensions were created between the pro-slavery and anti-slavery groups. Also indicated in the book is the efforts of the Republican Party to give Black Americans the true freedom and justice they are hardly fighting for a long time.

The book also tries to figure out the meaning of the 19th century racial drawings, cartoons and photographs which represent the efforts of the Black Americans to gain their equal status in the nation. Black Americans still feel that they are not accepted in the American society ruled by the Whites. As what Gartison Frazier had said, I would prefer to live by ourselves, for there is a prejudice against us in the South that will get years to get over (Foner, 2005). Although some Blacks after the Civil War and during the Emancipation period were given positions in the government or have been successful in their life, still many Black Americans were considered inferior. In the beginning chapters of the book, Eric Foner presents the on-going struggle experienced by the Black Americans in a White-dominated society. Moreover, many American historians found proof that African-Americans really did not experience true freedom.

Evidences that counters the conventional view about what really happened to the Black Americans during the post-Civil War were also shown. Forever Free by Eric Foner is a summary of the truth about the Black American status after the Civil War.

Forever free by eric foner