ON this day in 1851 the first part of Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin was published in the National Era, an abolitionist newspaper. Some consider this the first volley of the Civil War.
No doubt a flawed document, the racial stereotypes would haunt our culture. But, at the same time, there’s little doubt the harsh light cast on the horrors of slavery the book depicted did indeed melt many hearts, and did have a significant part in setting the stage, where people found it increasingly hard to pretend slavery was anything but the evil it is.
(There appears to be a misplaced scene that follows the conclusion, still the Edison film seems worth a view…)
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