Way Up North in Dixie: A Black Family's Claim to the Confederate Anthem

by Howard L. Sacks, Judith Rose Sacks

Traces the history of the song "I Wish I Was in Dixie's Land" to a nineteenth-century African-American family, the Snowdens, and reveals a family history as memorable as the song itself.

Genres: Music, History, Civil War

272 pages, Hardcover

First published September 17, 1993

Reviews

[Hlw3rd · Rating 4 out of 5]

VERY interesting book written by a Kenyon sociology professor during my time in Gambier. It traces the lives of the Snowden Family, a local black family whose matriarch was brought to Knox County, Ohio from slavery in Maryland.

As she marries and has a family, the Snowdens become musicians and farmers and this covers their experiences as one of the few black families in this part of Ohio. Their musical talents provide many interactions with white minstrel/traveling performers, one of whom is Dan Emmet...the reported author of "Dixie."

This book makes a VERY compelling argument that Ellen Snowden actually wrote Dixie from the perspective of a longing to return TO DIXIE where she was taken from her family, familiar places/faces, and brought north by herself- a stranger in a strange land. The Snowdens may have taught the song to Emmet, who then passed it off as his own traveling throughout the south performing in minstrel shows.

Have not read the updated version, but a very intriguing book which I love to discuss with my deep south friends.

Recommended for history and music buffs.

[Maxwell · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this difficult to finish. Very interesting, well-written book, but not suitable to my interest level at the time.

[Ann]

Talked to the author at the Symposium on Rural Design January 15, 2010.