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NYU Series in Social and Cultural Analysis
The Black Civil War Soldier: A Visual History of Conflict and Citizenship
A stunning collection of stoic portraits and intimate ephemera from the lives of Black Civil War soldiers
Though both the Union and Confederate armies excluded African American men from their initial calls to arms, many of the men who eventually served were black. Simultaneously, photography culture blossomed--marking the Civil War as the first conflict to be extensively documented through photographs. In The Black Civil War Soldier, Deb Willis explores the crucial role of photography in (re)telling and shaping African American narratives of the Civil War, pulling from a dynamic visual archive that has largely gone unacknowledged.
With over seventy images, The Black Civil War Soldier contains a huge breadth of primary and archival materials, many of which are rarely reproduced. The photographs are supplemented with handwritten captions, letters, and other personal materials; Willis not only dives into the lives of black Union soldiers, but also includes stories of other African Americans involved with the struggle--from left-behind family members to female spies. Willis thus compiles a captivating memoir of photographs and words and examines them together to address themes of love and longing; responsibility and fear; commitment and patriotism; and--most predominantly--African American resilience.
The Black Civil War Soldier offers a kaleidoscopic yet intimate portrait of the African American experience, from the beginning of the Civil War to 1900. Through her multimedia analysis, Willis acutely pinpoints the importance of African American communities in the development and prosecution of the war. The book shows how photography helped construct a national vision of blackness, war, and bondage, while unearthing the hidden histories of these black Civil War soldiers. In combating the erasure of this often overlooked history, Willis asks how these images might offer a more nuanced memory of African-American participation in the Civil War, and in doing so, points to individual and collective struggles for citizenship and remembrance.
Though both the Union and Confederate armies excluded African American men from their initial calls to arms, many of the men who eventually served were black. Simultaneously, photography culture blossomed--marking the Civil War as the first conflict to be extensively documented through photographs. In The Black Civil War Soldier, Deb Willis explores the crucial role of photography in (re)telling and shaping African American narratives of the Civil War, pulling from a dynamic visual archive that has largely gone unacknowledged.
With over seventy images, The Black Civil War Soldier contains a huge breadth of primary and archival materials, many of which are rarely reproduced. The photographs are supplemented with handwritten captions, letters, and other personal materials; Willis not only dives into the lives of black Union soldiers, but also includes stories of other African Americans involved with the struggle--from left-behind family members to female spies. Willis thus compiles a captivating memoir of photographs and words and examines them together to address themes of love and longing; responsibility and fear; commitment and patriotism; and--most predominantly--African American resilience.
The Black Civil War Soldier offers a kaleidoscopic yet intimate portrait of the African American experience, from the beginning of the Civil War to 1900. Through her multimedia analysis, Willis acutely pinpoints the importance of African American communities in the development and prosecution of the war. The book shows how photography helped construct a national vision of blackness, war, and bondage, while unearthing the hidden histories of these black Civil War soldiers. In combating the erasure of this often overlooked history, Willis asks how these images might offer a more nuanced memory of African-American participation in the Civil War, and in doing so, points to individual and collective struggles for citizenship and remembrance.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published January 26, 2021
16 people are currently reading
770 people want to read
About the author
Deborah Willis
126 books44 followersDr. Willis is chair of the Department of Photography & Imaging at the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
October 18, 2020
Scheduled to publish on my blog at release: Nonstop Reader.
The Black Civil War Soldier is a well researched and thoroughly annotated study of the black men who served (on both sides) in the American Civil War. Due out 21st Jan 2021 from the NYU Press, it's 240 pages and will be available in hardcover format.
The author, Dr. Deborah Willis, is a historian and film/ephemera researcher as well as a photographer in her own right. This book, while academically rigorous and prodigiously annotated throughout is refreshingly accessible to non-academics. The language is understandable and readable and most often, she allows the subjects to speak eloquently for themselves, through their photos and the ephemera (letters, diaries, family oral history, and archival evidence) they left behind.
I found myself often moved emotionally during reading this book and affected deeply by the plight of the young men and their families depicted here. There are epigraphs aplenty from luminaries (Frederick Douglass, Lincoln, Dr. Alexander T. Augusta, and many others who will be familiar to many readers), but it's the unknowns, lesser knowns, the family men, the wives and mothers whose histories are preserved here who affected me the most. I grew up in West Virginia and am intimately familiar with many of the cities and towns described.
Seeing the resilience and bravery and honor and mettle of the men here against the backdrop of the nauseating prejudiced mishandling by everyone *including their comrades at arms and commanding officers* was often difficult to read and process.
The chapters are laid out chronologically: 1860-61, 1861-62, 1863, 1864, and 1865-66. The text is liberally annotated and illustrated with line drawings, facsimiles of period documents, and an impressive number of photos. Although the treatment is admittedly academic, there's enough annotation and chapter notation and bibliography to satisfy the staunchest pedant - at the same time, there's a clear and compelling biographical narrative. I'm amazed that there's enough period record to reconstruct the stories of these families after more than 150 years.
Five stars. I would recommend this book to readers of American history, war history, American culture, classroom instruction in the Civil War period or allied subjects, ephemera, etc.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
The Black Civil War Soldier is a well researched and thoroughly annotated study of the black men who served (on both sides) in the American Civil War. Due out 21st Jan 2021 from the NYU Press, it's 240 pages and will be available in hardcover format.
The author, Dr. Deborah Willis, is a historian and film/ephemera researcher as well as a photographer in her own right. This book, while academically rigorous and prodigiously annotated throughout is refreshingly accessible to non-academics. The language is understandable and readable and most often, she allows the subjects to speak eloquently for themselves, through their photos and the ephemera (letters, diaries, family oral history, and archival evidence) they left behind.
I found myself often moved emotionally during reading this book and affected deeply by the plight of the young men and their families depicted here. There are epigraphs aplenty from luminaries (Frederick Douglass, Lincoln, Dr. Alexander T. Augusta, and many others who will be familiar to many readers), but it's the unknowns, lesser knowns, the family men, the wives and mothers whose histories are preserved here who affected me the most. I grew up in West Virginia and am intimately familiar with many of the cities and towns described.
Seeing the resilience and bravery and honor and mettle of the men here against the backdrop of the nauseating prejudiced mishandling by everyone *including their comrades at arms and commanding officers* was often difficult to read and process.
The chapters are laid out chronologically: 1860-61, 1861-62, 1863, 1864, and 1865-66. The text is liberally annotated and illustrated with line drawings, facsimiles of period documents, and an impressive number of photos. Although the treatment is admittedly academic, there's enough annotation and chapter notation and bibliography to satisfy the staunchest pedant - at the same time, there's a clear and compelling biographical narrative. I'm amazed that there's enough period record to reconstruct the stories of these families after more than 150 years.
Five stars. I would recommend this book to readers of American history, war history, American culture, classroom instruction in the Civil War period or allied subjects, ephemera, etc.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
April 7, 2021
Beautiful necessity for any history buff. Tons of rare and possibly extinct photographs, love letters from black soldiers to their wives, wonderful exposition, solicitation posters, and more. A wonderful collection of black 19th century American history.
April 14, 2021
The history of The American Civil War is often clouded by heaps and piles of romanticism and revisionism that has made the discussion of the conflict troubling for a number of years. One step onto Facebook, especially at any politically charged moment in modern times, and you’ll see all manner of misinformation and even blatant trolling that kills any sort of educated discourse. I’ve even read books that go into these tangents, and ultimately they lose sight of their purpose pretty fast and turn into a political quagmire.
Luckily, this book is not like that – it’s straightforward and uses the historical documents to tell the story, it avoids editorialization, and conjecture a fact that is refreshing to me in it’s simplicity. It reminds me a lot of Ken Burns’ Civil War series from thirty years ago – it also used documents and quotes to tell the story, and the general public loved it for that. The more-specific topic at hand is – the history of Black Civil War Soldiers on both sides of the conflict – their motivations, their feelings, and their dreams – told in many instances in their own words through letters and interviews given at the time or soon after.
While not shocking, some of the accounts of how both sides treated black people for the duration of the war was jarring at times. Well, jarring in the sense that many treat that war as a “good guys” vs “bad guys” situation, when it largely was more nuanced than that. One account that was particularly sad to me was a point when Union soldiers had arrived in a southern town to be greeted as liberators by all the the slaves left alone by their conscripted slave masters. Military leaders had to basically say “we are not here to free slaves, but to put the Union back together slavery and all” – for many slaves that sunk into their heart like a stone and colored their opinion of the Federal Government from then on. The book is an equal opportunity expectation-flipper, as there are also accounts of Black soldiers on the south being treated fairly by the Confederates.
This book is amazing, and highly recommended. I’m sure there are similar books out there, but this one was a real page-turner especially to see the gorgeous photographs that have been preserved in it.
Luckily, this book is not like that – it’s straightforward and uses the historical documents to tell the story, it avoids editorialization, and conjecture a fact that is refreshing to me in it’s simplicity. It reminds me a lot of Ken Burns’ Civil War series from thirty years ago – it also used documents and quotes to tell the story, and the general public loved it for that. The more-specific topic at hand is – the history of Black Civil War Soldiers on both sides of the conflict – their motivations, their feelings, and their dreams – told in many instances in their own words through letters and interviews given at the time or soon after.
While not shocking, some of the accounts of how both sides treated black people for the duration of the war was jarring at times. Well, jarring in the sense that many treat that war as a “good guys” vs “bad guys” situation, when it largely was more nuanced than that. One account that was particularly sad to me was a point when Union soldiers had arrived in a southern town to be greeted as liberators by all the the slaves left alone by their conscripted slave masters. Military leaders had to basically say “we are not here to free slaves, but to put the Union back together slavery and all” – for many slaves that sunk into their heart like a stone and colored their opinion of the Federal Government from then on. The book is an equal opportunity expectation-flipper, as there are also accounts of Black soldiers on the south being treated fairly by the Confederates.
This book is amazing, and highly recommended. I’m sure there are similar books out there, but this one was a real page-turner especially to see the gorgeous photographs that have been preserved in it.
March 5, 2021
This is one of those books that I knew I wanted to read just by seeing the cover. I admit that I was a little afraid at what graphic images it might contain, but I steeled myself and opened the cover. Seeing as the subtitle I assumed it would filled with photos. There are a lot, around seventy I believe, but I somehow expected more. There are the standards that show up in any discussion of slavery, the South, the Civil War, and many other avenues (especially the one showing the crisscrossed scars on the back of “Whipped Peter”).
What I wasn’t prepared for was the large number of photographs of Black soldiers in uniform. At the time of the Civil War, “photography culture blossomed―marking the Civil War as the first conflict to be extensively documented through photographs.” I couldn’t help but wonder how these men paid for their images to be reproduced. If it’s in this book, I missed it.
Another thing that I wasn’t prepared for was the way the book is put together. The text is mostly letters from the soldiers. Author “Willis not only dives into the lives of black Union soldiers, but also includes stories of other African Americans involved with the struggle―from left-behind family members to female spies. Willis thus compiles a captivating memoir of photographs and words and examines them together to address themes of love and longing; responsibility and fear; commitment and patriotism; and―most predominantly―African American resilience.” I did have trouble with the dialect, but that made it all the more real…it didn’t feel like a white woman was writing it.
Willis does an outstanding job in putting new faces to this age-old history. Therefore, The Black Civil War Soldier: A Visual History of Conflict and Citizenship receives 5 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world.
What I wasn’t prepared for was the large number of photographs of Black soldiers in uniform. At the time of the Civil War, “photography culture blossomed―marking the Civil War as the first conflict to be extensively documented through photographs.” I couldn’t help but wonder how these men paid for their images to be reproduced. If it’s in this book, I missed it.
Another thing that I wasn’t prepared for was the way the book is put together. The text is mostly letters from the soldiers. Author “Willis not only dives into the lives of black Union soldiers, but also includes stories of other African Americans involved with the struggle―from left-behind family members to female spies. Willis thus compiles a captivating memoir of photographs and words and examines them together to address themes of love and longing; responsibility and fear; commitment and patriotism; and―most predominantly―African American resilience.” I did have trouble with the dialect, but that made it all the more real…it didn’t feel like a white woman was writing it.
Willis does an outstanding job in putting new faces to this age-old history. Therefore, The Black Civil War Soldier: A Visual History of Conflict and Citizenship receives 5 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world.
February 19, 2021
This is a thorough, moving, and well-researched account of Black soldiers fighting on both sides during American civil war. The amazing collection of photographs bring the letters, stories, and facts to life. I was particularly moved by the stories of enslaved Black soldiers fighting because they had no choice. The injustice of risking their lives and health for the cause of continuing to be enslaved is heartbreaking.
This piece of history is crucial to understanding American slavery, the continuing racism we see today, and the resurgence of white supremacist violence and hatred, particularly in the American south. It should be included in schools as part of civil war history and the study of slavery and racism in America.
I received a ARC from Netgalley in exchange for a fair review.
This piece of history is crucial to understanding American slavery, the continuing racism we see today, and the resurgence of white supremacist violence and hatred, particularly in the American south. It should be included in schools as part of civil war history and the study of slavery and racism in America.
I received a ARC from Netgalley in exchange for a fair review.
March 30, 2021
This book is an interesting look into the lives of African-American soldiers who fought in the Civil War. Many of them escaped, in order to join the Union Army...for the mere thought of freedom.
A good portion of the book is visual. The men were so proud to be in uniform, that they took plenty of pictures as proof (even though many were not allowed to have weapons).
What I loved about this book was the numerous letters that were exchanged between soldier and wife, army generals, etc. I never thought about those left behind...until now. I literally read all 241 pages in one night.
I highly recommend this 💎💎💎💎💎 book to lovers of historical fiction.
A good portion of the book is visual. The men were so proud to be in uniform, that they took plenty of pictures as proof (even though many were not allowed to have weapons).
What I loved about this book was the numerous letters that were exchanged between soldier and wife, army generals, etc. I never thought about those left behind...until now. I literally read all 241 pages in one night.
I highly recommend this 💎💎💎💎💎 book to lovers of historical fiction.
October 3, 2020
They say a picture is worth a thousand words and this book demonstrates this to be true. There is enough text to give context and to lend analysis to what the photographs represent but the true appeal of this book has to be the incredible photographs. They open the reader’s eyes to a previously little acknowledged aspect of the Civil War and do so in a way which expresses great respect and pride. An important book, this is an approach which could add value to coverage of other important historical events. Very clever indeed.
June 23, 2021
This fabulous reference source contains archival photographs and correspondence (mostly transcribed) gathered from various repositories and annotated by author and historian Deborah Willis. Although authoritative enough to be used for research, this book is also highly readable. The images are beautifully reproduced, with captions providing identification of both those pictured and the photographic process (as well as location of original). While I am by no means a subject expert, I am an archivist. #TheBlackCivilWarSoldier #NetGalley
February 5, 2024
Eye opening to say the least
Eye opening to say the least.
This collection of letters, military reports, and photos bring to life an aspect of the Civil War of 1861-1865 that has been markedly missing in our school history books. Or, at least, in the history books of my schooling. I’d say it’s a must read, with one small disclaimer: The structure of the book is at times confusing, which makes it difficult to walk away with a cohesive sense of ideas and thoughts.
The pictures are often random in their insertion. If possible, it would be helpful if the picture of the writer was close to his or her writing/correspondence if for no other reason than to give the reader a fuller sense of who was doing the writing.
It would also be helpful to be able to follow one or two of the regiments through their multiple campaigns. This would help the reader to get a sense of how disorganized the Union government policy—and implementation of the policy—was in actual fact.
For example, on wages, one regiment fighting in SC was finally paid their $13 per month wage instead of the $10 wage given up until their time of protesting the difference in wage compared to the white troops. Meanwhile another regiment (I don’t remember which one because it truly was hard to keep track without taking detailed notes) refused the inferior offers of wages until they were given the full $13 a month they were promised. For them, it was a matter of noble pride for themselves as well as the flag they were fighting under, which left their loved ones at home in extremely difficult financial straits. It was never confirmed if they did or didn’t receive said pay packets. Human greed being what it is when left unchecked, it’s not hard to imagine that some paymasters tried to skim the wages of the Black regiments and pocket the rest, but that is only supposition on my part.
The other thing that was left murky and would be interesting to be able to discern is how the families left behind fared in comparison by region. How did the freedmen families of the north fare in comparison to the sell-emancipated soldiers’ families still under rebel slavery ownership? Did they fare differently in different regions of the south? The few stories told that took place in the south were horrific. It’s not difficult to imagine here, either, how the anger of having lost a “property” (that word makes you shudder, but we can’t turn our back on what were the mores of the day or we’ll never get out of its clutches) is taken out on the unprotected women and children left behind. A feeling of impotence in human behavior from a dull mind often lashes out at the perceived weaker one. But surely ALL rebels weren’t animals. Aren’t there stories that tell any other kind of tale where human integrity prevailed in lieu of human degradation on the part of the white slave owner? I’m leery of any blanket argument that says, “All people are this or that.”
In short, although this book adds much needed layers to our understanding of Civil War history, it still leaves one with a two dimensional picture of a new aspect to the war historically not told. What we need is a three dimensional picture that allows us to learn from the past and rise up to best in our human nature, not sink to the lowest common two-dimensional denominator.
This book, however, is a solid start in the right direction. Thank you to Ms Willis for doing the research and sharing it with us so we can all grow towards a truly better future where dignity prevails for all. We’re in this together, like it or not.
Eye opening to say the least.
This collection of letters, military reports, and photos bring to life an aspect of the Civil War of 1861-1865 that has been markedly missing in our school history books. Or, at least, in the history books of my schooling. I’d say it’s a must read, with one small disclaimer: The structure of the book is at times confusing, which makes it difficult to walk away with a cohesive sense of ideas and thoughts.
The pictures are often random in their insertion. If possible, it would be helpful if the picture of the writer was close to his or her writing/correspondence if for no other reason than to give the reader a fuller sense of who was doing the writing.
It would also be helpful to be able to follow one or two of the regiments through their multiple campaigns. This would help the reader to get a sense of how disorganized the Union government policy—and implementation of the policy—was in actual fact.
For example, on wages, one regiment fighting in SC was finally paid their $13 per month wage instead of the $10 wage given up until their time of protesting the difference in wage compared to the white troops. Meanwhile another regiment (I don’t remember which one because it truly was hard to keep track without taking detailed notes) refused the inferior offers of wages until they were given the full $13 a month they were promised. For them, it was a matter of noble pride for themselves as well as the flag they were fighting under, which left their loved ones at home in extremely difficult financial straits. It was never confirmed if they did or didn’t receive said pay packets. Human greed being what it is when left unchecked, it’s not hard to imagine that some paymasters tried to skim the wages of the Black regiments and pocket the rest, but that is only supposition on my part.
The other thing that was left murky and would be interesting to be able to discern is how the families left behind fared in comparison by region. How did the freedmen families of the north fare in comparison to the sell-emancipated soldiers’ families still under rebel slavery ownership? Did they fare differently in different regions of the south? The few stories told that took place in the south were horrific. It’s not difficult to imagine here, either, how the anger of having lost a “property” (that word makes you shudder, but we can’t turn our back on what were the mores of the day or we’ll never get out of its clutches) is taken out on the unprotected women and children left behind. A feeling of impotence in human behavior from a dull mind often lashes out at the perceived weaker one. But surely ALL rebels weren’t animals. Aren’t there stories that tell any other kind of tale where human integrity prevailed in lieu of human degradation on the part of the white slave owner? I’m leery of any blanket argument that says, “All people are this or that.”
In short, although this book adds much needed layers to our understanding of Civil War history, it still leaves one with a two dimensional picture of a new aspect to the war historically not told. What we need is a three dimensional picture that allows us to learn from the past and rise up to best in our human nature, not sink to the lowest common two-dimensional denominator.
This book, however, is a solid start in the right direction. Thank you to Ms Willis for doing the research and sharing it with us so we can all grow towards a truly better future where dignity prevails for all. We’re in this together, like it or not.
January 12, 2026
This book is a visual history of the experience of black soldiers during the Civil War. The role of black soldiers in the War is often downplayed as a result of the Propagation of the “Lost Cause” myth by Confederate sympathizers. This myth propagated the idea that both sides fought gallantly over pride and defense of the homeland, and that slavery was only a small part of the issues the war was fought over. This book goes a good way towards dispelling this myth.
The book is by a professor of photography and visual arts, and throughout, photographs tell the story. This is both an advantage and a drawback: the photos help put a human face on the narrative and make it seem more real, but readers of more straightforward histories will probably find themselves looking for information about the pictures and the people in them. Overall, this is a well-written book on a subject that has not received enough attention. It is a must-have for anyone interested in American history, especially the Civil War.
The book is by a professor of photography and visual arts, and throughout, photographs tell the story. This is both an advantage and a drawback: the photos help put a human face on the narrative and make it seem more real, but readers of more straightforward histories will probably find themselves looking for information about the pictures and the people in them. Overall, this is a well-written book on a subject that has not received enough attention. It is a must-have for anyone interested in American history, especially the Civil War.
March 1, 2021
This book is a real treasure
History told through letters by the people that were there. The black soldiers experiences during the Civil War from letters written to family, superior officers or newspapers detailing the happenings during the war. It showed how proud these soldiers were of what they were doing; sadly they did not get the same monetary benefits as the white soldiers which left a lot of families struggle for survival. It also brings to light the brutal treatment encountered by the wife and children of the man that escaped their owner to join the Union armies. The letters of these individuals are followed by photos of the men in uniform which brings a bond between the letter, photo and reader. Looking at their faces you see the person and it becomes more then reading a book on the Civil war. I highly recommend this book for anybody interested in this period of American History.
History told through letters by the people that were there. The black soldiers experiences during the Civil War from letters written to family, superior officers or newspapers detailing the happenings during the war. It showed how proud these soldiers were of what they were doing; sadly they did not get the same monetary benefits as the white soldiers which left a lot of families struggle for survival. It also brings to light the brutal treatment encountered by the wife and children of the man that escaped their owner to join the Union armies. The letters of these individuals are followed by photos of the men in uniform which brings a bond between the letter, photo and reader. Looking at their faces you see the person and it becomes more then reading a book on the Civil war. I highly recommend this book for anybody interested in this period of American History.
December 6, 2020
This is a solid book with a mix of letters from politicians, family members, and Black soldiers who fought for the Union in the Civil War. While most people believe that all photographs of Black soldiers from this time period are of the 54th, this book will show you the wide variety of images that survived of USCT (United States Colored Troops). The book is divided into logical sections based on time and bring in lots of different voices. Solid research!
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair review, all opinions are my own.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair review, all opinions are my own.
February 7, 2021
The opportunity to read and review this pre-pub book was so appreciated. Unfortunately the Kindle ARC did not provide any of the images that will ultimately make this this work so compelling.
The quality of the text of the ARC convinced me to purchase a hard copy, and I must say that the tone and the overall message of the book (even without images) make this an ineluctable part of serious study of both the Civil War and the history of Black Americans as part of the tapestry of the United States.
The quality of the text of the ARC convinced me to purchase a hard copy, and I must say that the tone and the overall message of the book (even without images) make this an ineluctable part of serious study of both the Civil War and the history of Black Americans as part of the tapestry of the United States.
February 27, 2022
There is excellent raw material here. It’s fabulously interesting to see the photographs of black civil war soldiers and read their letters and diary entries, but the author didn’t really do much to pull the raw material into a story beyond constantly repeating that the black soldiers were highly motivated to fight against the south and were excellent in battle. I feel like the author was cut, copy, pasting in other people’s work and just doing the minimal to add context. Loved the original data, unimpressed with the author.
October 1, 2020
Great book! Should be in every collection. There really haven't been too many books about Black soldiers in any U.S.conflicts. There were Afro-Am soldiers in the Revolutionary War, but only a couple are ever written about. I know they were in the Civil War, but most books on the subject baring mention them in passing. Kudos to Deborah Willis for bring them to light and giving them their due.
I received a Kindle arc from Netgalley in exchange for a fair review.
I received a Kindle arc from Netgalley in exchange for a fair review.
November 1, 2021
It’s amazing how history so often can expose what we think is true turns out to be just myth. The photos and diary excerpts are amazing and enlightening. I did not realize how many Black doctors we had at the time of the Civil War who served with the Union.
Now, someone needs to do the same for women who fought in the Civil War. Many women disguised themselves as men so they too could fight.
Now, someone needs to do the same for women who fought in the Civil War. Many women disguised themselves as men so they too could fight.
May 10, 2021
Great information on some of the unsung heroes of the Civil War. African American soldiers rarely get the recognition they deserve but this book does a great job spotlighting their lives and actions during the war.
May 15, 2021
Fascinating look at civil war era African Americans by way of pictures and stories
June 7, 2021
A well-documented look at the life and struggles of Black soldiers during the Civil War through letters.
July 10, 2024
This book contains many fascinating letters, primarily from Black soldiers who fought in the Civil. The discrimination that Black Union soldiers endured was incredible, not to mention the horrific lives enslaved people had to endure. This is another important history book about Black Americans and some of the many injustices they faced throughout their lives.
May 7, 2021
يحتوي هذا الكتاب، الذي صدر خلال الربع الأول من عام 2021، على صور توثيقية للجنود الأمريكان السود الذين ساهموا في الحرب الأهلية التي حصلت هناك بين الأعوام 1861 و 1865، حيث ترى المؤلفة أن هناك نقصا كبيرا في التوثيق الرسمي الأمريكي لذلك!
وحيث أن هذا الكتاب هو آخر ما أصدرته المؤلفة من سلسلة من الكتب تضمنت توثيقا مصورا لتاريخ ومشاركات السود في مسيرة التاريخ والحياة الأمريكية، فاقترح مشاهدة الفيديو المرفق الذي تتحدث فيه المؤلفة، بمشاركة ابنها، عن سبب تأليفها لسلسلة كتبها، وأهمية ذلك، مع استعراض بعض الصور المدرجة فيها (ليس بينها هذا الكتاب لأن تسجيل هذا اللقاء سبق تأليف الكتاب بثلاثة أعوام )
https://youtu.be/55yGmKc6WfE
وحيث أن هذا الكتاب هو آخر ما أصدرته المؤلفة من سلسلة من الكتب تضمنت توثيقا مصورا لتاريخ ومشاركات السود في مسيرة التاريخ والحياة الأمريكية، فاقترح مشاهدة الفيديو المرفق الذي تتحدث فيه المؤلفة، بمشاركة ابنها، عن سبب تأليفها لسلسلة كتبها، وأهمية ذلك، مع استعراض بعض الصور المدرجة فيها (ليس بينها هذا الكتاب لأن تسجيل هذا اللقاء سبق تأليف الكتاب بثلاثة أعوام )
https://youtu.be/55yGmKc6WfE
February 25, 2021
This book gives an even deeper look into the Civil War and black soldiers. The thing is, I feel like some things haven’t changed. Black men were considered less than a man then and now. Yet, they fought if they were told or even if they wanted, which is admirable.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews