WASHINGTON – Thomas A. Foster, Ph.D., associate dean for Faculty Affairs & Social Sciences, within Howard University’s College of Arts and Sciences (COAS), and professor with the Department of History, is the author of the recently published book “Rethinking Rufus: Sexual Violations of Enslaved Men.” Published by University of Georgia Press, “Rethinking Rufus” is the first book-length study of sexual violence against enslaved men. According to Foster, scholars have extensively documented the widespread sexual exploitation and abuse suffered by enslaved women, with comparatively little attention paid to the stories of men. 

“A careful reading of sources, that were essentially hiding in plain sight, reveals that sexual assault of enslaved men also occurred systematically and in a wide variety of forms, including physical assault, sexual coercion, and other intimate violations,” Foster explains.

The book incorporates the story of Rufus, who was coerced into a sexual union with an enslaved woman, Rose, whose resistance of the union is widely celebrated. Through court records, enslavers’ journals, interviews and a range of additional sources on slavery, Foster utilizes stories similar to Rufus’s to examine how black men were violated by both white men and white women. “Rethinking Rufus” is an important contribution to our understanding of masculinity, sexuality, the lived experience of enslaved men, and the general power dynamics fostered by the institution of slavery. 

“Rethinking Rufus illuminates how the conditions of slavery gave rise to a variety of forms of sexual assault and exploitation that affected all members of the community,” Foster says.

Foster is a historian and researcher of sexuality and gender in early America. In addition to “Rethinking Rufus”, Foster is the author or editor of six books, including, as editor, “Women in Early America; New Men: Manliness in Early America;” and “Documenting Intimate Matters: Primary Sources for a History of Sexuality in America.” His most recent monograph, “Sex and the Founding Fathers: The American Quest for a Relatable Past,” is a study of how ever-changing ideals of gender and sexuality inform the myths that have developed around the personal lives of the Founding Fathers. 

“Rethinking Rufus” is available for purchase through University of Georgia Press, and several online retailers, including Amazon and Barnes & Noble. For more information, visit https://ugapress.org. Follow Foster on Twitter, @ThomasAFoster. 

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