The Radical Reader: A Documentary History of the American Radical Tradition

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Key documents illustrate the richness of the American radical tradition. Radicalism is as American as apple pie. One can scarcely imagine what American society would look like without the abolitionists, feminists, socialists, union organizers, civil-rights workers, gay and lesbian activists, and environmentalists who have fought stubbornly to breathe life into the promises of freedom and equality that lie at the heart of American democracy. The first anthology of its kind, The Radical Reader brings together more than 200 primary documents in a comprehensive collection of the writings of America's native radical tradition. Spanning the time from the colonial period to the twenty-first century, the documents have been drawn from a wealth of sources—speeches, manifestos, newspaper editorials, literature, pamphlets, and private letters. From Thomas Paine's "Common Sense" to Kate Millett's "Sexual Politics," these are the documents that sparked, guided, and distilled the most influential movements in American history. Brief introductory essays by the editors provide a rich biographical and historical context for each selection included. Includes:
• Common Sense, Thomas Paine
• Second Inaugural Address, Abraham Lincoln
• Confession, Nat Turner
• Last Speech to the Jury, John Brown
• Letters on the Equality of the Sexes, Sarah Grimke
• Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions, Seneca Falls Convention
• Life in the Iron Mills, Rebecca Harding Davis
• Speech to Striking Coal Miners, Mother Jones
• Letter from Birmingham Jail, Martin Luther King, Jr.
• The Ballot or the Bullet, Malcolm X
• The Feminine Mystique, Betty Friedan
• Silent Spring, Rachel Carson