Download Free First Days Amongst The Contrabands Classic Reprint Book in PDF and EPUB Free Download. You can read online First Days Amongst The Contrabands Classic Reprint and write the review.

Even before shots were fired at Fort Sumter, slaves recognized that their bondage was at the root of the war, and they began running to the Union army. By the war's end, nearly half a million had taken refuge behind Union lines in improvised "contraband camps". These were crowded and dangerous places, with conditions approaching those of a humanitarian crisis, yet families and individuals took unimaginable risks to reach them, and they became the first places where many Northerners would come to know former slaves en masse. Drawing on records of the Union and Confederate armies, the letters and diaries of soldiers, transcribed testimonies of former slaves, and more, Manning sweeps us along, from the contraband camps, sharing insight and stories of individuals and armies on the move, to debates in the halls of Congress. The alliances between former slaves and Union soldiers which were warily begun in the contraband camps would forge a dramatically new but highly imperfect alliance between the government and the African Americans. That alliance would outlast the war, and help destroy slavery and ward off the very acute and surprisingly tenacious danger of re-enslavement. It also raised, for the first time, humanitarian questions about refugees in wartime and legal questions about civil and military authority with which we still wrestle, as well as redefined American citizenship, to the benefit but also to the lasting cost of African Americans. --
Southerners are known for their strong sense of history. But the kinds of memories southerners have valued--and the ways in which they have preserved, transmitted, and revitalized those memories--have been as varied as the region's inhabitants themselves. This collection presents fresh and innovative perspectives on how southerners across two centuries and from Texas to North Carolina have interpreted their past. Thirteen contributors explore the workings of historical memory among groups as diverse as white artisans in early-nineteenth-century Georgia, African American authors in the late nineteenth century, and Louisiana Cajuns in the twentieth century. In the process, they offer critical insights for understanding the many communities that make up the American South. As ongoing controversies over the Confederate flag, the Alamo, and depictions of slavery at historic sites demonstrate, southern history retains the power to stir debate. By placing these and other conflicts over the recalled past into historical context, this collection will deepen our understanding of the continuing significance of history and memory for southern regional identity. Contributors: Bruce E. Baker Catherine W. Bishir David W. Blight Holly Beachley Brear W. Fitzhugh Brundage Kathleen Clark Michele Gillespie John Howard Gregg D. Kimball Laurie F. Maffly-Kipp C. Brenden Martin Anne Sarah Rubin Stephanie E. Yuhl
During Reconstruction, former abolitionists in the North had a golden opportunity to pursue true racial justice and permanent reform in America. But after the sacrifice made by thousands of Union soldiers to arrive at this juncture, the moment soon slipped away, leaving many whites throughout the North and South more racist than before. Edward J. Blum takes a fresh look at the reasons for this failure in Reforging the White Republic, focusing on the vital role that religion played in reunifying northern and southern whites into a racially segregated society. A blend of history and social science, Reforging the White Republic offers a surprising perspective on the forces of religion as well as nationalism and imperialism at a critical point in American history.
'Fascinating social history.'-Publishers WeeklyA vivid, panoramic look at the closing months of the Civil War and the first months of peace and beyondAs the Civil War drew to a close, its final battles and unsolved issues left a complex legacy of pain for both the Southern plantation owners and the newly freed slaves. Using letters and diaries, gifted writer Michael Golay shows the impact of victory and defeat on ordinary Americans who both influenced events and were caught up in them. Golay takes a unique perspective by interweaving personal histories of soldiers and civilians with the larger events of the Civil War; illuminating the impact of Sherman's march through Georgia and the Carolinas; postwar life in a devastated, chaotic South; and the promise of freedom for African American slaves. Based in large part on previously unpublished material, Golay provides a vivid look at the aftermath of a bitter struggle, and the efforts to solve problems where answers were elusive.
Historian Wilbert Jenkins sheds light on how former slaves in Charleston, South Carolina, in an attempt to adjust to freedom after the Civil War and gain control over their own lives, battled whites trying to regain control. Using autobiographies, slave narratives, Freedmen's Bureau letters and papers, and many other documents, Jenkins focuses on the freedmen's hopes and aspirations. 30 photos.