In his book In Red and Black (1971), Eugene Genovese writes, "All Marxian history may, from one point of view, be judged good or poor by the extent to which it contributes to our understanding of class." Judged by this standard, Genovese is a successful historian. An avowed Marxist with a high-powered writing style and an early reputation as an activist, he has emerged as an influential historian of the slave South, his accounts of which intriguingly blend class struggle and an appreciation for such traditional aspects of culture as religion and honor. Not dogmatic, but not inclined to compromise in order to court popular favor, Genovese has been colorful and controversial.

Eugene Dominick Genovese was born and raised in proletarian Brooklyn, the son of Dominick F. and Lena Chimenti Genovese. Upon graduating from high school, he attended Brooklyn College, from which he received his B.A. degree in...