Madison County Democrats donate book to library

Madison County Democrats recently donated a new book on the history of Reconstruction in America to the Madison County Public Library. The book, “The Rise and Fall of the Second American Republic,” is by Manisha Sinha, who teaches history at the University of Connecticut. “We are passionate about American history,” the donors explained, “and are proud of our public library and its service to our community.”

The book is a new interpretation of the reach of the failure of Reconstruction, which affected formerly enslaved Blacks in particular, but also women, immigrants, Native Americans and the white working class. Readers will find many current debates in the country rooted in the aftermath of the Civil War and the decades that followed emancipation.