The Black Civil War Soldier

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.

i really enjoyed reading this book, it was a great look into the past especially a time that I don't know too much about. It was good to read about the soldiers that fought in the Civil War.

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.

A fascinating look at people living a century and a half ago under frightening circumstances. History comes to life as we look at these people and realize they're not so different from us, and that we are only separated by the circumstances and timing of our births. Admittedly, I did not read every single page, but as a skipped through chapters, reading, I was captivated. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys reading history.

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.