The Delectable Negro: Human Consumption and Homoeroticism within US Slave Culture (Sexual Cultures, 34)

Discover a groundbreaking exploration of the hidden truth of American literature and US slave culture in The Delectable Negro: Human Consumption and Homoeroticism within US Slave Culture. This award-winning book, winner of the 2015 LGBT Studies Award, uncovers the connections between homoeroticism, cannibalism, and cultures of consumption that were largely ignored until now.

While scholars have dismissed accusations of cannibalism during slavery, Vincent Woodard takes the claims of the enslaved population seriously. He sheds light on both their literal starvation and the slaveholders' portrayal of cannibalism. Furthermore, Woodard delves into the homoerotic aspects of slave consumption, highlighting how Black individuals experienced being consumed in a fundamentally sensual way.

Through an in-depth analysis of African American literature and culture, Woodard presents a compelling narrative. He examines slave narratives from Olaudah Equiano, Harriet Jacobs, and Frederick Douglass, as well as other lesser-known materials like James L. Smith's slave narrative, runaway slave advertisements, and articles from Black newspapers in the 19th century. These texts reveal the racial assumptions, political aspirations, gender codes, and philosophical frameworks behind the European and white American fascination with Black males and their desire for Black male flesh.

In addition to the exploration of social consumption, Woodard also shines a light on the endemic mechanisms of starvation and hunger that enslaved individuals faced. The book concludes with a thought-provoking analysis of the controversial chain gang oral sex scene in Toni Morrison's iconic novel, Beloved. This modern example illustrates how, even in the 21st century, our language falls short in describing the hunger experienced by Black males within the context of a plantation culture of consumption.

Don't miss out on this eye-opening journey into a previously unexplored aspect of US history. Get your copy of The Delectable Negro today and be part of the conversation that challenges traditional narratives.