Madness: Race and Insanity in a Jim Crow Asylum
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- Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
- Create Date：2024-01-14 16:21:46
- Update Date：2025-09-07
- Status：finish
- Author：Antonia Hylton
- ISBN：B0C6K3PZBN
- Environment：PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle
Reviews
Karen Bullock
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Phenomenal！An impressive and extensive research into one of the most difficult times in the history of a United States mental institution。Most important note of this book is the fact that once slavery was abolished， colored folk were continually treated horribly as they went from being owned to entrapment in yet another twisted viewpoint of the white man’s world。Forced to build a hospital that under false pretenses， was supposed to be a place to help them， was just another form of captivity。Depl Phenomenal！An impressive and extensive research into one of the most difficult times in the history of a United States mental institution。Most important note of this book is the fact that once slavery was abolished， colored folk were continually treated horribly as they went from being owned to entrapment in yet another twisted viewpoint of the white man’s world。Forced to build a hospital that under false pretenses， was supposed to be a place to help them， was just another form of captivity。Deplorable conditions， long hours of hard labor， that was supposed to enlighten and provide a false sense of freedom- was no different then working a plantation and having a master to report too。Heartbreaking that the segregation of all the workers/patients rarely received reprieve from one form of control to the next。 Infuriating in places， this book pulls all the emotions for the patients in this informative piece。 Truly an eye opener。Thanks to Legacy Lit Books for this informative piece of history。 All opinions are my own。 。。。more
BAM is sick and can't read
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Release: January 23， 2024
Kate Furness
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What a way to start the New Year！！ FANTASTIC！
Lori
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I am well aware of the disparity in physical and mental health care between different cultures， particularly white and African Americans。 However， I had never heard of Crownsville State Hospital， and I lived outside Washington， DC for over 30 years。 This wonderfully written book discloses how the State of Maryland forced twelve Black men in 1911 into the forest and forced them to clear the land， pour cement and lay bricks for what was to become the Hospital for the Negro Insane， where they becam I am well aware of the disparity in physical and mental health care between different cultures， particularly white and African Americans。 However， I had never heard of Crownsville State Hospital， and I lived outside Washington， DC for over 30 years。 This wonderfully written book discloses how the State of Maryland forced twelve Black men in 1911 into the forest and forced them to clear the land， pour cement and lay bricks for what was to become the Hospital for the Negro Insane， where they became the first patients。 The author tells the meticulously detailed history of the Crownsville Hospital， one of the last segregated asylums with surviving records and a campus that still stands in Anne Arundel County， MD。， although it was forced to close in 2004。 While the author had difficulty obtaining records， she filled in the gaps with interviews of surviving patients and people who worked there。 She also weaves in stories of the mental illness that runs through her family and the difficulty getting family members to seek help。 The author correctly concludes how many at Crownsville had committed crimes of poverty， but didn’t have a technical mental health diagnosis。 Years of living in confinement and being treated like an outcast would eventually make anyone appear sick。 The latter part of the book talks about the institutional shift， which made the “mental hospital redundant and law enforcement and incarceration of astonishing prevalence。” Crownsville’s history shows that this transition was slow and painful with the Black patient “at the center of the societal negotiations that reshaped our hospitals， prisons， and jails。。”What a powerful and heart-breaking story that kept me wondering why I had never heard of this hospital。 It is reminiscent of The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks， with African Americans once again being abused and experimented upon without consent。 Coincidentally， Henrietta Lack’s oldest daughter ended on at Crownsville with horrifying results。Thank you to the publisher， Legacy Lit， for the ARC。 This book should be required reading in high school and college to understand Jim Crow’s influence on mental health care。 。。。more
Courtney
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A heartbreaking but necessary look into racism and mental health depicted through Crownsville Hospital， a Jim Crow asylum。 This book was very well researched and written。 I thought the personal interviews and stories by former staff and family members really gave the story to life and made the all the research have more depth。 Thank you Legacy Lit for the complimentary copy。
Molly
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For how thorough and informative Madness is it’s incredibly easy to read and digest。 Hylton manages to cover everything that contributed to the facility; from the slaves who were forced to build it to the larger social and political climate that contributed to what happened there and why。 While there were a lot of horrors outlined within this book there were accomplishments as well。 So much black excellence and so many ground breaking individuals highlighted as well。 Many of the first black doct For how thorough and informative Madness is it’s incredibly easy to read and digest。 Hylton manages to cover everything that contributed to the facility; from the slaves who were forced to build it to the larger social and political climate that contributed to what happened there and why。 While there were a lot of horrors outlined within this book there were accomplishments as well。 So much black excellence and so many ground breaking individuals highlighted as well。 Many of the first black doctors and nurses graduating from HBCUs passed through Crownsville’s doors， making Herculean efforts to save their own people。 Working around the clock day after day to show compassion and to allow the patients some semblance of dignity。 Black publications like the Baltimore Afro-American working tirelessly to bring the atrocities of Crownsville to light in a real time effort to bring better quality of life for those inside。 And last but certainly not least the current work being done by Janice Hayes Williams who is working to preserve the history of Crownsville and to help families find information about their relatives。 She is working to put names to the 1700 graves that are marked only by numbered headstones， to give the dead not just peace but recognition。 I could go on and on and on about how fantastic this book is。 In fact， when I was looking over the pages and pages of notes I’d taken while reading I wished so badly that I was writing a school paper instead of a review。 Something that would allow me to restate all of the facts and statistics I had learned。 A piece of writing that would be discussed with other people who had read and been moved by this book。 It’s been a long time since Ive felt that way。 Please please please read this book。 。。。more
Katrisa
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When I picked this book I was expecting to find descriptions of neglect or abuse in a psychiatric hospital built to house Black patients in the early 20th century， and it DOES have that， BUT this book is much more than that。 Besides the expected racist directors and doctors， there were also a good many people who tried their best to bring a modicum of dignity and true care to Crownsville。 many were too overwhelmed by the forces stacked against them， but throughout the book there are the stories When I picked this book I was expecting to find descriptions of neglect or abuse in a psychiatric hospital built to house Black patients in the early 20th century， and it DOES have that， BUT this book is much more than that。 Besides the expected racist directors and doctors， there were also a good many people who tried their best to bring a modicum of dignity and true care to Crownsville。 many were too overwhelmed by the forces stacked against them， but throughout the book there are the stories of those who tried to make a difference woven in through the narrative of of inequality and hardship。 I have read several books lately that dovetail nicely to show how various institutions run by the government enforce racial divides and perpetuate labor exploitation to fill the void left when slavery was outlawed。 If you want to read more I also recommend Of Greed and Glory by Deborah G。 Plant and We carry Their Bones by Erin Kimmerle。 。。。more
Harriet Smith
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Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an early copy of Madness。 This book is written by a reporter about mental illness and one particular institution; as expected， it is well researched and documented。 Being white and coming from the Midwest， I had never heard of Crownsville State Hospital。 Sadly， I was not totally surprised by the actions taken towards institutionalized patients there。 All persons deserve respect， and I feel that Ms。 Hylton's work will open eyes to situations that need Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an early copy of Madness。 This book is written by a reporter about mental illness and one particular institution; as expected， it is well researched and documented。 Being white and coming from the Midwest， I had never heard of Crownsville State Hospital。 Sadly， I was not totally surprised by the actions taken towards institutionalized patients there。 All persons deserve respect， and I feel that Ms。 Hylton's work will open eyes to situations that need to be continually confronted and corrected。 。。。more
Caroline
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This is a very important and well-written book that puts a spotlight on a part of American history which has been neglected。 It provided a very resonant counterpoint to the book by Jeffrey Lieberman that I just read about the current state of knowledge and treatment for schizophrenia。 The history of American asylums in general has been completely neglected， and access to patient records even from the 1800s are tied up in overly rigid medical records privacy laws - how can the patient records of This is a very important and well-written book that puts a spotlight on a part of American history which has been neglected。 It provided a very resonant counterpoint to the book by Jeffrey Lieberman that I just read about the current state of knowledge and treatment for schizophrenia。 The history of American asylums in general has been completely neglected， and access to patient records even from the 1800s are tied up in overly rigid medical records privacy laws - how can the patient records of my great-great-grandfather who died in 1925 require a court order for me to see？ In addition， the asylum that is the focus of this book is in Maryland， where I now live， and is local history for me。Hylton shines a light on how a segregated asylum like Crownsville was essentially an arm of the criminal justice system。 If a police officer picked up a black person on the street who seemed to be in distress or who was just not acting the way the officer wanted them to， instead of trying to charge them with something they would just drop them off at Crownsville and sometimes they would be there for the rest of their lives if they had no family in a position to come looking for them。 This even happened to children。 Once "patients" - actually inmates - were in Crownsville， the state did not want to provide funding for any kind of actual mental health care， not for black people anyway （see Spring Grove and Springfield which were the hospitals near here for white people）， so the place turned into a sort of work camp where people had to produce goods to add to the meager funds of the place， and nobody got any actual care。 Once they could no longer refuse to hire black staff， conditions improved a little， in that there were now staff who saw the patients as PEOPLE and treated them as such。 Hylton reviews such records as were still in existence from the state government and the historical society， tracks down living former staff and patients， and through them is connected to a whole small community of people who knew Crownsville from the inside。Hylton discusses the deinstitutionalization movement in the late 20th century from the viewpoint of people at Crownsville， and says many of the same things that Dr Lieberman says - while mental hospitals were often neglectful at best and abusive at worst， the preferable alternative was not to just dump people out on the street。 The "community based mental health" system envisioned in the 60s and 70s never came to be because nobody wanted to fund it， so people with no place to go and needs for medication and therapy ended up sleeping under bridges as hospitals like Crownsville were shut down。 Because god forbid anybody in America should be given help if they can't produce income for themselves or someone else。I wish Hylton had made her points about 'why black people go crazy' a little more circumspectly - not because I disagree with anything she says， but because it could lead some readers to espouse the idea that， as it was said in the 70s， insanity is the only sane response to society。 Mental illness is caused by more than just rotten things happening， and the development of that idea about psychiatric illness in the 70s just encouraged a lot of people to believe there was nothing wrong with them。 I know she is not saying that。 Her point seems to be that the relentless state of fear in which black people lived in Maryland would create the conditions in which any hereditary predisposition to mental illness would explode。 I agree with her。 I wish she had been more explicit about that， because the idea that mental illness is caused solely by environmental factors led to things like the determination in the early-mid 20th century that mental illness was caused by things mothers did wrong。Sometimes I got a little lost in the chronology， and making a connection between a person I was reading about and the previous time they appeared in the story。 That seems to be an occupational hazard of telling the story in this way， and I can see why the way she's telling the story is the best way to tell it。 So be prepared to pay attention。When all is said and done， this book should be read by anybody who's interested in the history of mental health treatment or the history of US racism。 I look forward to what Hylton writes about next。 。。。more
Danielle | Dogmombookworm
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4。5
Audrey
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3。5 starsThis was an eye opening and disturbing read about how the mental health system has failed Black people。 In this read， the author looks at the history of Crownsville Hospital， in Maryland， a segregated mental health hospital。 From its sordid beginnings of using Black patients to contract the hospital， to its inhumane treatment from many of the white staff， the author depicts the "evolution" of mental health care。 She also effectively interweaves her own family history throughout this rea 3。5 starsThis was an eye opening and disturbing read about how the mental health system has failed Black people。 In this read， the author looks at the history of Crownsville Hospital， in Maryland， a segregated mental health hospital。 From its sordid beginnings of using Black patients to contract the hospital， to its inhumane treatment from many of the white staff， the author depicts the "evolution" of mental health care。 She also effectively interweaves her own family history throughout this read。 What was especially disturbing was that Black people would be snatched off the streets and then involuntarily committed to Crownsville。 Some of these "offenses" would be for the "crime" of being homeless or just being Black。 And there would be little recourse for release。 As time went on， and staff became more diverse， the patients would receive better care。 However， there is little to be done when the hospital was consistently underfunded。I received an arc from the publisher but all opinions are my own。 。。。more
Sydney Jenkins
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This one of the best books I've read in a long time。 I love how Hylton weaves in her own family's mental health experiences with the harrowing history of mental health practices at Crowsville。 I can't believe a place like Crownsville could have even existed， and this book made me eager to learn more。 This one of the best books I've read in a long time。 I love how Hylton weaves in her own family's mental health experiences with the harrowing history of mental health practices at Crowsville。 I can't believe a place like Crownsville could have even existed， and this book made me eager to learn more。 。。。more
Em
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Antonia Hylton's "Madness" takes readers on an eye-opening journey through the haunting history of Crownsville Hospital， one of the last segregated asylums with surviving records， in Anne Arundel County， Maryland。 With meticulous research and a deep emotional investment， Hylton brilliantly uncovers the 93-year-old history of this institution， providing a vital perspective on the intersection of race， mental health， and the enduring legacy of slavery。 "Madness" serves as a vital resource for read Antonia Hylton's "Madness" takes readers on an eye-opening journey through the haunting history of Crownsville Hospital， one of the last segregated asylums with surviving records， in Anne Arundel County， Maryland。 With meticulous research and a deep emotional investment， Hylton brilliantly uncovers the 93-year-old history of this institution， providing a vital perspective on the intersection of race， mental health， and the enduring legacy of slavery。 "Madness" serves as a vital resource for readers seeking a comprehensive understanding of the history of mental health treatment in America from a Black perspective。 Antonia Hylton's eloquent storytelling and her unyielding commitment to shedding light on the dark corners of mental health history make this book a must-read for anyone interested in the intersection of race and mental health。 Hylton chronicles the stories of Black families whose mental health was profoundly affected as they struggled， often in vain， to find safety and support。 What makes "Madness" exceptionally powerful is Hylton's personal connection to the topic， as she reflects on her own family's experiences with mental illness and the secrecy and shame that lingered for generations。 Her ability to intertwine her own story with the broader narrative adds a layer of intimacy and authenticity to the book。Hylton's meticulous investigative research and archival documents bring to life the experiences of patients and employees at Crownsville Hospital。 By sharing personal accounts from patients who are still alive， she lends their voices the platform they deserve。 Through the poetry， testimonies， and artwork they left behind， the reader is given a rare glimpse into the emotions and experiences of those who were silenced for far too long。"Madness" also explores the deeply ingrained racism and stereotypes that have persisted in the American mental healthcare system， tracing these issues back to the legacy of slavery。 Hylton masterfully exposes how these prejudices have led to the criminalization and stigmatization of Black patients in present times。 Her narrative is a compelling testament to the necessity of reframing the history of psychiatry from a pro-Black， affirming perspective， shining a light on important pioneers in the field like Dr。 Tami Benton， who play a crucial role in rewriting the narrative of mental health treatment particulary for Black children and adolescents。 Hylton skillfully connects the dots between America's history of mass incarceration and the expansion of prisons and the process of deinstitutionalization， unveiling how these issues are inextricably linked。 Thank you to the author and publisher for the e-arc copy！ 。。。more
Reginald Williams
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Hylton’s “Madness…” is superbly researched and wonderfully written。The interviews and anecdotes especially make this a vivid contribution to building a true History of America from the ground up。 Day-to-day lives of African American patients / detainees are provided context by the daily lives and struggles of Black people in Maryland /Washington。Hylton weaves in the frayed thread of her own Family’s struggles with mental health issues。 These pieces portray the human face of Black people’s psycho Hylton’s “Madness…” is superbly researched and wonderfully written。The interviews and anecdotes especially make this a vivid contribution to building a true History of America from the ground up。 Day-to-day lives of African American patients / detainees are provided context by the daily lives and struggles of Black people in Maryland /Washington。Hylton weaves in the frayed thread of her own Family’s struggles with mental health issues。 These pieces portray the human face of Black people’s psychological suffering that are woefully unknown for the most part。 It also personalizes the horrors of the Jim Crow system。This book should find its way into the curricula of every high school through university。 Thanks for This。 。。。more
Izzy
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A brilliant， personal， and magnificently researched book that both surveys the history of the Crownsville hospital in Maryland while interweaving powerful personal stories from the author's own life。 A gripping read and heartbreaking meditation on the intersection mental illness and racism。 It's One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest meets Hidden Valley Road。 Highly recommend。 A brilliant， personal， and magnificently researched book that both surveys the history of the Crownsville hospital in Maryland while interweaving powerful personal stories from the author's own life。 A gripping read and heartbreaking meditation on the intersection mental illness and racism。 It's One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest meets Hidden Valley Road。 Highly recommend。 。。。more
Joanie
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Had the opportunity to read the book early。 It is gripping， illuminating and heart breaking。 The author achieves the feat of presenting a piece of work that is an extremely well researched account of history that is also deeply personal。 I love a book that helps me learn or that makes me feel， and this book does both。 It’s an important book covering a grossly undercovered topic， and I was glad to find it an enjoyable， digestible read at the same time。 Strongly recommend！
Meredith
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