There really is nothing quite like looking at the dust jacket design for a forthcoming book for the first time. It’s the first real indication that all of the years of research and writing will soon result in something tangible that you can share with the rest of the world and that will hopefully spark Read more
black Confederates
As I mentioned the other day, Searching For Black Confederates: The Civil War’s Most Persistent Myth (UNC Press) will hit the shelves late August/early September. I know it might seem early, but I am already thinking ahead to planning a book tour. Over the past two weeks I have received a couple of inquiries about Read more
Update: Looks like the post has been removed. I am going to chalk this up to another example of simply not knowing how to respond to my critique. To say that I am excited for the New Year and the publication of my book, Searching for Black Confederates: The Civil War’s Most Persistent Myth (UNC Read more
Update: A few people have speculated that the image below may have been Photoshopped. I can confirm that this is not the case after receiving additional photographs this morning. I came across this photograph yesterday on twitter that was posted by a user named @farradawg101. This is the first that I have heard of what Read more
This morning The New York Times published an interesting piece that raises the question of whether ‘interracial love was possible’ in the South during the Civil War-era. The story will likely raise strong feelings that either affirm or deny the possibility of genuine other-regarding emotions between master and slave during this period. The very question Read more
At some point the staff at The Root must acknowledge the fact their own website is responsible for advancing the myth of the black Confederate soldier. Their own staff writers appear to be completely unaware of this fact. Yesterday Michael Harriot took the time to respond to reader emails, specifically those written by “white people” Read more
As I type this my completed manuscript is on its way to the University of North Carolina Press. From here the manuscript goes to copy-edit, where it will be reviewed for spelling and grammatical errors. It has been a hectic couple of weeks that I am thrilled is over. As I mentioned in an earlier Read more
Yesterday I learned that the Board of Governors at the University of North Carolina Press gave Searching for Black Confederates: The Civil War’s Most Persistent Myth its final approval. I knew the decision was scheduled to take place and that it would be a formality, but it was still a thrill to receive official notice Read more
A number of you in the past few weeks have asked for an update on the progress of my black Confederates manuscript. I am pleased to report that earlier today I sent off the revised manuscript to The University of North Carolina Press. This revised manuscript benefited from the comments of two anonymous reviewers chosen Read more
This will likely be the last time that I ask for assistance in interpreting a primary source related to my black Confederates book before I complete revisions in the next week or two. This source was shared with me by historian Timothy Smith and centers on a very unusual scene that took place just before Read more