“Mindful of the Sacrifices Borne by Our Ancestors”: Terror, Historical Consciousness, and the Slave Sublime

Abstract

This article contends that the arts have a crucial part to play in calling attention to the decline of America's democratic traditions, while simultaneously enabling the recollection of what remains of ideals of liberty and justice in the wake of American empire. Following Cornel West, the author argues that the tragicomic hope that characterizes the musical and artistic heritage of blues people offers an incomparable resource for political renewal. Specifically, representations of moral resistance against racial terror can reconfigure our understanding of the relationship between liberty and justice, on the one hand, and the need for security in a dangerous world. The author considers the contributions of blues women of the 1920s and 1930s, and then traces the ethos of the blues through the creative writing of Toni Morrison, whose characters represent a commitment to liberty even in the most devastating circumstances.