When one thinks of African American history in the United States, images of slavery and the antebellum south are what invariably come to mind. While these images are indeed apt and applicable to understanding black history in the United States, as Alwyn Barr demonstrates in his text Black Texans: A History of African Americans in Texas, 1528-1995, the history of African Americans in the U.S. date farther back than slavery and encompasses regions other than what has become known as the deep south.

Evaluating the book overall, it is evident that Barr's central purpose for writing the book was to make clear how the black community and culture developed in Texas. While this is not implicitly stated, the chronological context of the books suggests that Barr is seeking to provide a cohesive history so that readers can delineate between the development of black community and culture in...