Stefan Wheelock is an associate professor in George Mason University's English department. He specializes in the study of Atlantic history and culture with a specific focus on early African-British and African-American literatures. His forthcoming book looks at the African American writers in the time before the Civil War who challenged the idea of western enlightenment.
The European philosophers of the Enlightenment argued that Europeans were civilized, but Africans were barbarians. In this interview, Stefan Wheelock describes how radical African American writers used those same philosophical principles to unmask the barbarism of slavery.
Each week, With Good Reason examines a wide range of topics with leading scholars. It is produced by Virginia Humanities for the Virginia Higher Education Broadcasting Consortium.
May 10, 2019
