In the book, Death or Liberty, Douglas R. Egerton main focus is on how the American Revolution affected the African American/Slaves in their struggle for freedom between 1763 and 1800, which was not just between the north and the south. African Americans had gained the most freedom during this time but were also the ones who had suffered the most. Egerton argues that, slavery could have ended earlier on, if the founding fathers had taken more action and that they lacked courage.
Egerton writes about the experiences of black slaves and those who were free, for example Equiano. For most of his life, Equiano had to lie about where he came from, his age, and anything else he could get away with.
For many Africans Americans the revolution was a