The White Indians of Colonial America

Axtell, James

doi:10.2307/1922594

Cited by 56 publications

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“…What white American would allow his whiteness to be symbolically erased? 53 For theologians, the figure of the Christian apostate might suggest the possible superiority of Islam and the legitimacy of the prophet Muhammad. 54 While ostensibly about African barbarity; these accounts delimit the boundary of the civilized United States as they discuss matters of history, rationality, aesthetic development, cultural degradation, theological hegemony, and transculturation.…”

Section: Riley Is Astonishedmentioning

confidence: 99%

White Slaves, African Masters

Baepler

2003

The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Scie

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This article introduces narratives by American captives during and after the Barbary Wars (1801-1805, 1815). Set against a background of American imperial pursuits, the accounts reveal the hypocrisy and double-standards common among early Americans (who accepted black slavery in America but reacted strongly against the idea of white slaves in the custody of the North African Muslims). The accounts were largely works of fiction, but were accepted as fact. Arabs are presented as bizarre, gruesome, and primitive. The stories were sold by the thousands, so members of almost every household were exposed to these negative portrayals.

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Section: Riley Is Astonishedmentioning

confidence: 99%

White Slaves, African Masters

Baepler

2003

The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Scie

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“…Interestingly, Chmielewski's description of the captives' experiences among the Indians bears little resemblance to that of James Axtell's famous essay, “The White Indians of Colonial America.” Chmielewski finds little evidence of the Indians' acculturative savoir ‐ faire as described by Axtell. It is entirely possible that this reflects local factors, overstatement on Axtell's part, or Chmielewski's weaker grasp of the Indian dimension of her story.…”

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confidence: 99%