African American state volunteers in the New South : race, masculinity, and the militia in Georgia, Texas, and Virginia, 1871-1906 / John Patrick Blair.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Blair, John Patrick, 1960- author.

Series:

Prairie View A & M University series

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Reconstruction (U.S. history, 1865-1877)--African American troops.

Reconstruction (U.S. history, 1865-1877).

African American soldiers--Georgia--History.

African American soldiers.

African American soldiers--Texas--History.

African American soldiers--Virginia--History.

United States--Militia--African Americans--History.

United States.

Southern States--Race relations.

Southern States.

Race relations.

Georgia.

Texas.

Virginia.

Genre:

History.

Physical Description:

xv, 308 pages : illustrations, maps ; 24 cm.

Edition:

First edition.

Place of Publication:

College Station : Texas A&M University Press, [2022]

Summary:

"In the immediate aftermath of the Civil War, a turbulent period fraught with violence, struggle, and uncertainty, a forgotten few African Americans banded together as men to assert their rights as citizens. Following emancipation, the nation's newest citizens established churches, entered the political arena, created educational and business opportunities, and even formed labor organizations, but it was through state militia service, with the prestige and heightened status conveyed by their affiliation, that they displayed their loyalty, discipline, and more importantly, their manliness within the public sphere. In African American State Volunteers in the New South, John Patrick Blair offers a comparative examination of the experiences and activities of African American men as members in the state volunteer military organizations of Georgia, Texas, and Virginia, including the complicated relationships between state government and military officials-many of them former Confederate officers-and the leaders of the Black militia volunteers. This important new study expands understanding of racial accommodation, however minor, toward the African American military, confirmed not only in the actions of state government and military officials to arm, equip, and train these Black troops, but also in the acceptance of clearly visible and authorized military activities by these very same volunteers. In doing so, it adds significant layers to our knowledge of racial politics as they developed during Reconstruction, and prompts us to consider a broader understanding of the history of the South into the twentieth century"-- Provided by publisher.

Contents:

Machine generated contents note: Foreword / Ronald E. Goodwin

ch. 1 Introduction: The Forgotten Few

ch. 2 "To Have the Most Worthy": Legislating the Black State Volunteers

ch. 3 "Composed of Men of the Same Race and Color": Organizing the Black State Volunteers

ch. 4 "With Said Arms No Discrimination Shall Be Made": Arming and Equipping the Black State Volunteers

ch. 5 "An Efficient and Reliable Defender": Utilizing and Training the Black State Volunteers

ch. 6 Light, Bright, or White?: Colorism and the Black State Volunteers

ch. 7 "Let Us Play the Man": The Culture of Masculinity with the Black State Volunteers

ch. 8 Conclusion: Manhood Lost.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9781648430732

1648430732

OCLC:

1314633236