This was the most descriptive and enjoyable book I have read on Abraham Lincoln to date. Told from the perspective of the black peoples of the time, it was a story of real love and trust of a great man who welcomed each and every man and woman as if they were family. The narrator was fabulous and brought this book to life. Well researched and narrated, it is a book that even young school children can understand and appreciate. I highly recommend this book and I am grateful for the opportunity to have listened to it and learned from it.

This was a great book about something in history I didn't have a great grasp on. I enjoyed the weaving of the story however the audiobook did confuse me at times as it transitioned from quotes to story. Over all this was an enjoyable book that left me with a better grasp on history.

I enjoy books that teach me things I do not know about the times of the past. This book provided a unique look at Lincoln, along with his interactions with various Black people during a time when Black people were not valued and seen as property. It was nice to learn more about Lincoln than the standard facts I learned in school. This is a powerful read that provides great insight into Lincoln's meetings with black leaders. I learned so much listening to this audiobook, and it kept me so engrossed in it's content.

The narration was great, and I truly enjoyed the immersive listening experience. This was a 5 star delight that I truly enjoyed!

Thank you to NetGalley and Post Hypnotic Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Let me get this out of the way first: I experienced the audio version of this book, which I do not recommend. The book's format of weaving together quotes from primary sources undoubtedly made it a challenge for the audio format, and the choice to use different voices for quotes than the author's text makes sense -but just going with a single other narrator or voice would have suited the tone of the book far better than the cartoonish and sometimes offensively stereotypical accents that seriously detract from the content. The frequent mispronunciations of names and places plus the odd misreadings of repeated words also present a challenge. The audiobook would generously rate one star - but since there isn't a specific Goodreads option for the audio, my rating is based upon the content of the book and disregards the audio-specific issues.

That said - this is a very good non-academic overview of Abraham Lincoln's evolution over the course of his time in the White House. By using the framework of individual visits by Black guests over the course of his presidency (preceded by a brief overview of both Lincoln's pre-presidency life and a survey of the few non-white visitors received by his White House predecessors), it avoids the usual pitfall of parsing the individual words of letters, speeches, etc. to speculate on motivation. The author even points out on several occasions how this approach has led to nearly nonsensical interpretations of Lincoln's thoughts and actions becoming accepted truths among the general public. The infamous colonization meeting is discussed at some length, early on, which demonstrates why this chronological approach works so well - it's a cliché at this point, but history happens forward to back, so reading it in any other order takes away the context. Yes, the meeting went as badly as we think, and also yes, that was because of Lincoln's racism and arrogance - but The Meeting(tm) wasn't the end of the story - or the beginning.

What really sets this one apart, though, is the way that the primary sources tell the story. Mr. White has clearly spent some time online and recognizes that Twitter wars and comments sections are only new in their format - the same collision of extreme positions, disingenuous arguments, and people existing in different realities from one another has been a thing since communication began. The quoted sources talk past each other, write things they would likely never say aloud or after a good night's sleep, make sweeping generalizations, etc. - and the author stands back and lets them do it. For infrequent readers of history, this should help to overcome the perception that our current times are "unprecedented" and that "those people" are worse than they ever were before - whoever "those people" are for you.

Whatever you think you think about Abraham Lincoln, the presidency in general, white supremacy, Frederick Douglass, or our current political climate, I hope you'll put this one on your list and let it broaden your horizons.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

I’m a fan of Jonathan White’s other books, and while White is a long-time scholar of Lincoln and this book in particular is well researched, I often found myself feeling like the stories and justification of responding to White’s central premise was repetitive. Beyond that, I went back and forth with enjoying the audiobook’s narration. Some character voices for quotes were fine, and orally made the quotations stand out but some voices were very far-fetched and out of place in my opinion.

A longtime scholar of Abraham Lincoln, author Jonathan W. White delves into the minutiae of Lincoln's time in the White House receiving visitors. As White recounts, Lincoln received any person off the street who lined up to come in for an audience with the president twice a week — an apparent norm of the time. What is continuously recounted in these pages is the experiences of black ministers, abolitionists, soldiers, formerly enslaved people, and others treated with dignity and equity by the president. (Likely considered to be quite radical at the time.) The book is compiled from research of letters, news articles, speeches, and recollections of those present. While most of these look favorably on Lincoln from a contemporary standard when viewed with a lens of its day, White does not shy from criticism of the president known as "the Great Emancipator."
I found the book an excellent way to learn more about a man who is held up as one of our greatest American presidents but whom we learn little about beyond surface facts in school. White delivered a deeper understanding of Abraham Lincoln and some of his beliefs, as evidenced by his writings, speeches, and actions.
I received White's title in audiobook format via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Jesse Lipscombe's narration could be jarring at times, with his very specific artistic choices. Sometimes, I would need to remind myself that it was Lincoln's words I was hearing. Each time I did, I also appreciated these artistic choices and why I surmise Lipscombe made them.

A House Build by Slaves gives context to Abraham Lincoln's personal friendships with and treatment of people of color during his presidency, making the argument that his views developed and went far beyond the strategic and political need to emancipate the enslaved. The book recognizes that his earlier beliefs and commentary on the institution of slavery were negative but not abolitionist in nature, Further, he did go through a period where he believed colonization in Africa or South America would best. However, over and over the book illustrates that Lincoln offered each person of color he met dignity, recognized their humanity and used them as valued advisors as he grew. in his views. What more can we expect of anyone, particularly in the contact of his life and times? Great book. Very good narration.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC of this book.

This was very informative and showed how African Americans thought of Lincoln when they met him through their own words. Most of the testimonies were positive and therefore show Lincoln in a positive light. I liked how this book showed how the country looked throughout Lincoln’s life and after. It’s important to learn about such a pivotal point in our nation’s history from the people who were affected most.

Thank you to #NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

This was a great read. I loved the information and different views on Lincoln and the African American population. I really feel that this was written beautifully. I also think that the narrator did a fantastic job.

A House Built by Slaves: African American Visitors to the Lincoln White House
by Jonathan W. White
A philosophical and historical look at first person accounts of the life and times of Abraham Lincoln. The problem of historical understanding of events is that it can change with the concept of the time. The prejudice and usage of political ideology can change the observation of history. Current ideology about Lincoln has been fluid. Some of the conceptions and misconceptions about Lincoln, and his white house is controversial, and contradictory. Many of the disruptions in his history come from the fluid nature of racial interactions. Stories printed directly in his times, or just after his murder are different from those during racial equality, or during the race problems after covid. The difference can be the miss conception of Lincoln and his polices, or just the misconceptions of the people he interacted with at his time. The great emancipator has been loved and villainized by many in the times since his death. Many of these contradictions are addressed in this book, going from first sources as much as possible. The author brings a compelling look at Lincoln's time, how he was viewed in office and how political ideals and interest influence the viewers of his time.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review. I may not be as impartial of a reader here as I adamently adore Lincoln and hurt for all the sorrow he had in his life. Because I read a lot of books on him, I was a bit surprised to find some new information (at least to me) in this book. "A House Build by Slaves" is a story about different black visitors Lincoln met with while he occupied the White House. It tells of those meetings and the impressions of LIncoln straight from the words of these people who met with him. I believe the book claims to do this because of the recent backlash stating that Lincoln was racist. This book mostly contains positive stories and claims that Lincoln was welcoming and sympathetic to the causes both of anti-slavery and also movement to allow social and political rights to those communities. There is no doubt that Lincoln said some decisive things and at times said things that seemed to contradict his expressed beliefs. Obviously this was a different time and looking at the era and ways of the world in which he was raised, it is fair to say that Lincoln probably did waiver some. But he was a young man when he first saw slaves working in a field and was immediately saddened and resolved in his belief that man is man and should not be subject to ownership by another. To be honest, I think there is room for disagreement and diaglogue on the matter of Lincoln's beliefs but I didn't have that too much in mind as I read this book. I mostly found enjoyment in the different conversations with the people he met and his belief in an almost open door policy for the White House....something his successor immediately reversed. He took action as well from many of these meetings including giving major miliatry roles to black citizens and helping advance black doctors. These were all bits of new to me information that I enjoyed learning.
Link to the Goodreads review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6284676591

It’s always important to be reminded of how cookie cutter the history lessons in grade school were.

This story provides great historical insight into Abraham Lincoln’s interactions with Black Americans during a time swelling with horrific slavery. Whether politically charged at times, conflicting with former stances at times, it seems agreed upon that Lincoln made a point to include the black community, at least to a much further extent than others.

I appreciated all of the testimonies and it was beautiful to hear about the taking of hands between Lincoln and various Black Americans. He dined with all, welcomed all into his home, through his front door. At a time when the black community was barely considered human, this gave so much hope to those dreaming of equality.

It’s a tragedy relearning the atrocities of the time and how fearful many must have been upon Lincoln’s death but it’s important to ensure we don’t repeat such circumstances ever again.

A House Built by Slaves, written by Jonathan W. White, is a nonfictional book written about President Abraham Lincoln, and his relationships with African American visitors to the White House. It begins before the start of the Civil War, and ends after his death. Included in the book are stories of different individuals, some whose stories are known and some whose aren't.
I feel like I learned a lot from this book. I feel that the author did a wonderful job sharing different stories of individuals who had experiences with Abraham Lincoln. I also think that they showed how things changed after President Lincolns presidency, and how he really could have done more during his time if the United States was ready for it. I also really appreciated the narrators use of different inflections and characterizations. Thank You to NetGalley and to the author and publisher of this book for an ALC in exchange for an honest review.

The excellent narration made this very easy to follow and listen to. The author gave a fascinating insight into the life and beliefs of someone considered to be one of the best leaders in history. Starting from where he grew up and how his life unfolded to becoming the President of the United States this gives many voices to a commentary on the life of Abraham Lincoln. I knew nothing of his background and found it well explained and really enjoyed learning about him as a person, his views on slavery and race, and about the high esteem in which he was held by many. Thank you to Net Galley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

This book offers a unique perspective by delving into the experiences of visitors to the White House during Abraham Lincoln's presidency, shedding light on the arduous journey towards liberty for African Americans. Drawing from many primary sources, the voices of various visitors are brought to life as they recount their encounters with the president. The historical context is carefully provided, enriching the reader's understanding of the era.

It's a valuable and engaging addition to the official narratives surrounding the emancipation of slaves. The audiobook, in particular, is captivating thanks to the diverse range of voices, lending an authentic quality to the storytelling. Overall, it's a fascinating exploration that breathes new life into this pivotal chapter of American history.

I’ve read this book previously in a course I had on the civil war. I thought it was well written then and I think it is well written now. That being said, I was curious to check out the audiobook. I think this is the best audiobook production of a history book that I have ever listened to. One thing that I appreciated this book the first time I read it was the way that so many of the individual voices were incorporated through the quotes that were used. The audiobook truly made those voices come alive and made the book feel personal. Though I love reading history, rarely do I feel this captivated by history books the way that I was in A House Built By Slaves. This will definitely be one I recommend to all of my history loving friends.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

An easily accessible historical account narrated by multiple individuals; full of quotes of contemporaries of Abraham Lincoln that record the fledgling Union as it wrestles with its limited interpretation of life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness for all men who are created equal. A timely book, as some of the racist sentiments are echoed in actions and words of the living in this great nation. Jonathan White uncovers accounts and facts I'd never read or heard about before. A powerful read for anyone wanting to better understand the foundation of dissent between the North and the South. The variety of narrators lending voices to the quotes helped bring this text to life.

Disclaimer - I received an ARC copy of this audiobook version through NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I just finished listening to "A House Built by Slaves: African American Visitors to the Lincoln White House" on audiobook, and wow, just wow! This book is an absolute game-changer. It sheds light on a crucial piece of history that often gets overlooked—the stories of African American visitors to the Lincoln White House. I was completely captivated from start to finish, thanks to the engaging narration and the fascinating insights it provides. It's like uncovering hidden gems of history that you never knew existed. Seriously, if you're a history buff or just curious about untold stories, do yourself a favor and give this audiobook a listen. It's a five-star experience that will leave you both enlightened and inspired.

This book was made available to me in audiobook format by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I honestly thought I would like this book, or I would not have chosen to review it. This review is complex, as are the issues dealt with in this text. I will explain my low score to the best of my ability.

First, I want to start with what I loved, which was the audiobook format. If you are going to read this, please consider choosing the audiobook format. This featured what sounded like a cast of Black voices reading quotes. It was delightful, and I adored it. What a wonderful way to illustrate the mostly lost voices of these folks. I also want to say that while I do not agree with the author, all of the history is thoroughly sourced. It is wonderful for the quotes alone from the Civil War era, Black folks. I can not stress how much hearing their own words spoken touched me. I fully plan to read more by this author when I get to my studies of Abraham Lincoln. I don't think the author meant any malice as he left the final impression of Lincoln up to the reader. I feel he does this by excusing Lincoln's racist statements and behaviors as either misunderstood by modern audiences or said to influence his racist white peers. I disagree with this view of his behaviors. It gives Lincoln too much grace and doesn't acknowledge that white supremacy has never functioned in logical ways.

The problem with this book is its implication that Black Lives Matter and other anit-racist activist organizations were shortsighted to call Abraham Lincoln racist or a supporter of white supremacy. The author wanted to highlight Lincoln's history with the Black Community to add context to this discussion. This argument includes the idea that historical figures can not or should not be judged with today's morals.

The text began with this quote, "In January 2021, the San Francisco Unified School District voted to rename Abraham Lincoln High School because of the former president’s policies toward Native Americans and African Americans According to Jeremiah Jeffries, chairman of the renaming committee and a first-grade teacher, “Lincoln, like the presidents before him and most after, did not show through policy or rhetoric that black lives ever mattered to them outside of human capital and as casualties of wealth building.” Only a month earlier, a statue of Lincoln outside of San Francisco City Hall had been vandalized with red paint, presumably to symbolize the guilt the former president bears for his role in the nation’s racial history."

This book is mostly comprised of the author responding to the above paragraph using direct quotes taken from Black folks who met with Lincoln from 1861-1865. These meetings with Lincoln mostly involved him shaking hands and listening to Black folk when they speak to him. The author thinks this helped Lincoln to change how he viewed Black people. I personally think that Lincoln was pragmatic and knew the post civil war United States was going to need the contributions that the Black Community would (and did) make during the Civil War, Reconstruction and beyond. I do believe that Black Leaders who met with Lincoln influenced him, but that isn't an indication that Lincoln didn't hold racist and white supremacist beliefs. That would be logical. Racism and white supremacy have never employed logic in its functionality. The purpose of both racism and white supremacy is to give white people, men, especially, power to do as they please.

The reason that Black Lives Matter and other anti-racist activist organizations label Lincoln racist or white supremacis is in relation to the following direct quotes made during a debate with Senator Douglas, "I am not, nor ever have been, in favor of bringing about in any way the social and political equality of the white and black races ... I am not nor ever have been in favor of making voters or jurors of Negroes, nor of qualifying them to hold office, nor to intermarry with white people; and I will say in addition to this that there is a physical difference between the white and black races which I believe will forever forbid the two races from living together on terms of social and political equality. And inasmuch as they cannot so live, while they do remain together there must be a position of superior and inferior, and I as much as any other man am in favor of having the superior position assigned to the white race."

Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines racism as: 1) a belief that race is a fundamental determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race
also : behavior or attitudes that reflect and foster this belief : racial discrimination or prejudice
2) a. the systemic oppression of a racial group to the social, economic, and political advantage of another
b. a political or social system founded on racism and designed to execute its principles

Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines white supremacy as: 1) the belief that the white race is inherently superior to other races and that white people should have control over people of other races
2) the social, economic, and political systems that collectively enable white people to maintain power over people of other races

Black Lives Matter and other anti-racism movements accurately labeling Lincoln a racist or white supremacist align with his historical presence. Neither Lincoln shaking the hands of Black folks nor listening to the concerns of Black Leaders alters these indisputable facts.

I've read in history books that Lincoln would yell and scream at Black leaders and that he blamed Black folks for slavery. To my knowledge, that was based on oral history from the Black post civil war community. The author attributed similar behavior by Lincoln to a single conversation with Black Leaders in 1862. The author explains that the rant was to placate racist white congress/senators/voters. I disagree, I think Lincoln meant what he said to those Black Leaders. I disagree with the author about Lincoln's desire to ship Black folks back to Africa. I believe it was based on racism. The author gives a weak argument about no one being forced to go, but it's clear this was a race based solution.

After Lincoln was assassinated, a propagandist rather than a historically accurate narrative was applied to Abraham Lincoln as The Great Emancipator in the Black community, heavily supported by Black Leaders. Current Black historians see Lincoln in a much more complex way as the Black Community is now many generations removed from slavery and have more access to the complete history of his quotes.

The author has deeply studied Abraham Lincoln for decades it sounds like and probably has a solid grasp on the traditional historical view of Lincoln. This doesn't mean that Black folks or other POC who view him based on the oppressive experiences of their ancestors are wrong. History is richer for the viewpoints of all parties involved, instead of what we have now, which is overwhelmingly the view of white historians based on their biased views of white leaders. History told from multiple viewpoints, even when they seem to conflict, in the end offers a richer view of history.

My other concern was the author's use of moral relativism or not judging historical figures with todays values. In my opinion, this justification is overly used to excuse Western European colonial behaviors, often based on the ahistorical belief that 'everyone' thought like that at the time and thinking/behaving oppressively was just normal. The inherent problem with thinking 'everyone' thought like that at the time is who is being defined in the 'everyone'. I assure you the people being oppressed were not happy to be oppressed and did not agree with the oppressors' acts of oppression, no matter the people or the era. Moral relativism effectively silences POC opinions on the treatment of their own ancestors. Also, inconsistencies between how Western historians fail to apply the arguments of moral relativism to the practices of marginalized/colonized peoples. For example, when Mayan or Aztec folks are discussed historically, human sacrifice is mentioned in a judgmental way. Leaving the upsetting impression that it is okay to judge marginalized peoples and societies by modern values but not Western European societies.

Additionally, we do not view Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, Nate Turner, Harriet Tubman, etc. as they would have been viewed by white Americans in the time they were alive. Why is it okay to change as a nation how we view Black leaders but not how we view white leaders? It is inevitable that white historical 'heroes' will be overwhelmingly viewed as oppressors by the descendants of those they oppressed. A hero to one group of people is often an oppressor to another group.

I could gather a bunch of quotes from Black Trump supporters about how he shook their hands and treated them kindly. It will not change the fact that Trump has made deeply racist and white supremacist statements.

Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read/listen to and review this history book.

I really enjoyed this look at the life of Abraham Lincoln, particularly his views on slavery and race issues. It was set up as an analysis of his views - whether or not he was actually a white supremacist. I don't remember the author saying which was the case, but he left that up to the reader to decide. There are also some scenes of presidents before and after Lincoln with their views and actions. I enjoyed the large amount of first person sources included. It was very well researched and plotted out thoroughly.

Thank you to Post Hypnotic Press and NetGalley for an ARC audiobook in exchange for an honest review.