Slavery and the Death Penalty

It has long been recognized that the legacy of slavery rears its head in the use of capital punishment in America, but little attention has been paid to the historical and conceptual relationship between today’s abolitionists, and those who worked to end involuntary bondage. This book explains how the course of abolitionism, and the strategies and tactics of the anti-death penalty movement, have been shaped and influenced by the history of slavery and abolition. It uses the literature on slavery and abolition to explain the radicalism of today’s abolitionists, and to advocate for a more radical approach to ending state-sanctioned executions.