Dawn of Detroit: A Chronicle of Slavery and Freedom in the City of the Straits

With a clear, steady voice and a deliberate pace, actor Johnson reads the stories of the African- and Native Americans who were held as slaves in the Midwest during the 18th century and early 19th century. During this time, Detroit prospered from the trade of animal skins, which was predicated on the labor of male slaves who transported the furs across New France, while female slaves served as domestic help and became a sexual commodity for the French colonists. As Miles’s thorough research reveals, this little-discussed slave trade was as ruthless as what was happening in the South. Johnson is a competent reader, but she is faced with presenting a stream of dates, names, places, and events that the author has catalogued throughout the book. Consequently, her reading comes across as academic and hard to follow. The audiobook, as a result, won’t appeal to listeners looking for an immersive history. A New Press hardcover. (Oct.)