Tuesday, November 5, 2013

If We Didn't Start Right How Do We Get Right?


Into the Fire examines the most tumultuous and consequential period in African American history: the Civil War and the end of slavery, and Reconstruction’s thrilling but tragically brief “moment in the sun.” From the beginning, African Americans were agents of their own liberation, forcing the Union to confront the issue of slavery by fleeing the plantations and taking up arms to serve as soldiers in the United States Colored Troops. After Emancipation, African Americans sought to realize the promise of freedom—rebuilding families shattered by slavery; demanding economic, political and civil rights; even winning elected office. Just a few years later, however,  a swift and vicious campaign of terror in the South restored white supremacy and rolled back rights for African Americans. Yet the achievements of Reconstruction would remain very much alive in the collective memory of the African American community.

1 comment:

  1. Ever since I offered to find links on CW generals I've been reading CW blogs -- fascinating (if sometimes really horrible) stuff, and timely even today, very timely in fact.

    I can't help but notice that some of the same sort of history telling that has been worked upon the CW by Confederates and Confederate sympathizers (right after the war and up until today), has also been worked upon WWII by former Nazis and their well wishers. One is bad enough, but both (and often together now) is a pretty toxic brew to have to overcome.
    Of course, both saw themselves as involved in a "sacred cause" for their "sacred honor", and the fanboys and girls of former and present times have managed to convince people as to their bravery and skill in battle, like they both lost their respective wars due to unfairness, bad luck only...and maybe perhaps the work of the devil.
    Like I said: toxic brew of shit, and many don't even realize they are drinking it -- extra bad hoodoo there.

    PW

    ReplyDelete

COMMENTS ARE BACK ON