"Dr. Rivers has written a very brave book, because it refuses to accept stereotypes no matter their origin."—
The Tallahassee Democrat"This is a remarkable book, deeply researched, gracefully written, and revealing many astonishing facts about the trials of a slave and how he coped with racial attitudes and prejudices."—Loren Schweninger, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Canadian Journal of History
"Because the past informs the present, Rivers illuminates the path of Father James Page's climb to freedom as a framework for measuring our own lives and the progress of Florida and America toward achieving racial justice and equality."—Valerie Scoon, Florida State University, Capital Outlook
"deeply researched and inspiring book...Rivers does an excellent job of analyzing and describing the very complicated and sometimes contradictory behavior of Father James Page."—Said Sewell, Diverse: Issues in Higher Education
"As the first scholarly, full-length biography of any 19th century enslaved preacher from slavery to freedom Rivers' impeccably written biography is an impressive undertaking that required years of archival digging and a careful examination of the limited primary sources available[it] models the practice of vivifying overlooked historical figures."—Mélena Laudig, Princeton University, Reading Religion
"This is a truly remarkable and much-needed contribution to American history. Meticulously researched, Rivers' incisive analysis gives this generation a chance to know, feel, and hear the lost voice of Page and so many others like him who were using a call from God to improve race relations in America. This will change the field."—Chanta M. Haywood, author of Prophesying Daughters: Black Women Preachers and the Word, 1823–1913
"Rivers weaves an impressive biographical narrative that moves beyond commonly accepted Eurocentric treatments of the slave preacher and African American religion and culture in the nineteenth century. This carefully crafted, historically nuanced, and deeply engaging biography is a herculean achievement by one of the nation's most seasoned scholars. A superb piece of scholarship."—Lewis V. Baldwin, Vanderbilt University, author of The Voice of Conscience: The Church in the Mind of Martin Luther King, Jr.
"Based on impeccable research and written with grace and clarity, Father James Page traces the life of an amazing African American who began life as a slave and rose to prominence as a renowned clergyman. Rivers has restored Page to the influence he once enjoyed. A masterful and fascinating biography that deserves wide readership."—Darlene Clark Hine, Michigan State University, author of Hine Sight: Black Women and the Re-Construction of American History
"Father James Page profoundly deepens our understanding of how African Americans radically reshaped Christianity in slavery and how the values of mutual aid, a hatred of exploitation, and love of family informed black politics and institution building for generations to come."—Paul Ortiz, University of Florida, author of An African American and Latinx History of the United States
"Larry Rivers tells the gripping life story of James Page, who became an icon among members of his race during and after slavery. A truly inspiring biography of a man whose legacy paved the way for others to take up the blood-stained banner in the fight for full justice, freedom, and equality for all human beings in America today."—Benjamin L. Crump, Esq., lawyer / social justice advocate, author of Open Season: Legalized Genocide of Colored People
"This is the first groundbreaking biography of its kind to explore the life of a nineteenth-century slave preacher and later a free leader of his race. An exceptional achievement!"—James M. Denham, Florida Southern College, author of Florida Founder William P. DuVal: Frontier Bon Vivant
"A strong and interesting biography that tells the story of a slave preacher and his legacy in Middle Florida throughout most of the nineteenth century through Reconstruction. A beneficial addition to the literature of antebellum slavery, slave theology, and slave biography; I heartily recommend it."—Thomas Aiello, Valdosta State University, author of Jim Crow's Last Stand: Nonunanimous Criminal Jury Verdicts in Louisiana
"This superb book provides a fresh treatment of a personality in the slave community. Highlighting the substantial contributions and the overall significance of the slave preacher James Page, this groundbreaking work will benefit educators, challenge scholars, and force all of us to look at slave preachers anew."—Merline Pitre, Texas Southern University, author of Through Many Dangers, Toils and Snares: Black Leadership in Texas, 1868–1898
"[Rivers] rightly argues that the emphasis on slaveholders' paternalism in studies of bondpeople often over-determines how scholars narrate the activities of the enslaved. Instead, he invites scholars to ask questions about Black agency—specifically how enslaved preachers like Page reasoned and made choices that ultimately shaped Black, southern, and American religious cultures."—Alexis Wells-Oghoghomeh , Standford University, Journal of Southern History
