The Accidental Slaveowner: Revisiting a Myth of Race

In this review of The Accidental Slaveowner, the book is recommended for readers who want a careful, source-driven exploration of a local story that illuminates national history. Mark Auslander's approach blends history, anthropology, and detective work to untangle the contested account of an enslaved woman known as Kitty and her supposed owner, Methodist bishop James Osgood Andrew. The single biggest reason to buy is Auslander's ability to show how one contested narrative in Oxford, Georgia, reverberates across church schism and American memory, making the book valuable to anyone tracing how stories shape racial understanding.

Key Features

• Interdisciplinary approach: Combines historical research, anthropological fieldwork, and genealogical detective work to reconstruct how the Kitty story evolved from the 1850s to today.
• Focused case study: Uses the specific episode involving Bishop James Osgood Andrew and Miss Kitty to illuminate broader themes about slavery, memory, and community identity.
• Local to national perspective: Traces how a local tale from Oxford, Georgia, tied to Emory University and Methodist history contributed to the 1844 church schism and foreshadowed national conflict.
• Document-driven narrative: Relies on archival records and oral histories to test competing accounts rather than asserting a single definitive version.
• Readable detective-story tone: Presents research as an unfolding investigation, which makes complex archival material accessible to non-specialist readers.

Who It's For

This book is best for readers of United States history, students of religion and race, and anyone interested in how stories and memory shape public life. It will appeal to local historians and to readers curious about how a single contested account can influence institutional decisions and community identity over generations.

Those seeking a broad general history of slavery or a textbook-style overview should look elsewhere; this is a focused case study that rewards attention to nuance and archival detail rather than sweeping narrative coverage.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Careful reconstruction of a contested narrative offers insight into how memory and evidence interact in public history.
• Interdisciplinary method brings both archival depth and ethnographic sensitivity to local voices and traditions.
• Connects a local episode to larger events, notably the 1844 Methodist schism, making it relevant beyond Oxford, Georgia.

Cons

• The narrow focus on a single case means readers wanting broad surveys of slavery may find coverage limited.

Specifications

Title	The Accidental Slaveowner: Revisiting a Myth of Race and Finding an American Family
Author	Mark Auslander
Subjects	History; Anthropology; Race and memory
Geographic focus	Oxford, Georgia; United States
Historical span	1850s to present day
Central figures	Miss Kitty and Bishop James Osgood Andrew

Our Verdict

The Accidental Slaveowner is a well-crafted, evidence-minded case study that rewards readers who want to see how contested stories shape public memory and institutional history. It is good value for students and engaged readers focused on race, religion, and local history because it connects detailed archival work to wider social consequences.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the book settle whether Kitty was owned by Bishop Andrew?
Auslander does not offer a simplistic final verdict; instead the book evaluates competing sources and shows how the story was used and retold over time.

Is this a general history of slavery?
No. It is a focused case study that uses one contested account to explore memory, race, and institutional responses, rather than a broad survey.

Will readers need prior knowledge of Emory or Methodist history?
No. Auslander's narrative provides sufficient background on the 1844 church schism and local context for readers unfamiliar with those institutions.