309Z Spring 2025 “When I Rise”

The history of enslavement and the moves towards freedom for Black Americans are a testament to the enduring human spirit. The legally supported horrors of enslavement dramatize the courage of those who first freed themselves and then sought freedom for others. The limited scope of Lincoln’s Emancipation was made possible by the hand-to-mouth emancipation events: Sojourner Truth, Frederick Douglass, and still ongoing through the Civil Rights era to George Floyd. This narrative underscores the complex and multifaceted struggle for true emancipation. The re-enslavement of Black Americans after the Civil War has still not been addressed. This study examines the trajectory of a people struggling for legal and personal and spiritual freedoms. 

Edward Ingebretsen holds advance degrees in Theology and Ethics (JSTB 1982) and a Doctorate in American Studies (Duke 1986). His publications (books, journals) consider the intersection of gender, race, theology, and popular cultures. He concentrates in non-human ethics and American social history.