From Slavery to PovertyThe racially charged stereotype of "welfare queen"an allegedly promiscuous waster who uses her children as meal tickets funded by tax payersis a familiar icon in modern America, but as Gunja SenGupta reveals in From Slavery to Poverty, her historical roots run deep. For, SenGupta argues, the language and institutions of poor relief and reform have historically served as forums for inventing and negotiating identity. Mining a broad array of sources on