Tuesday, March 9, 2010

A Black Professor speaks out on Black Confederates

The quotes below are from Ervin L. Jordan Jr., noted author, professor and research archivist at the Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library, University of Virginia in Charlottesville.

"Numerous Afro-Virginians, free blacks and slaves, were genuine Southern loyalists, not as a consequence of white pressure but due to their preferences. They are the Civil War's forgotten people, yet their existence was more widespread than American history has recorded. Their bones rest in unhonored glory in Southern soil, shrouded by falsehoods, indifference and historians' censorship."



"Tennessee in June 1861 became the first in the South to legislate the use of free black soldiers. The governor was authorized to enroll those between the ages of fifteen and fifty, to be paid $18 a month and the same rations and clothing as white soldiers; the black men appeared in two black regiments in Memphis by September."



"After their capture one group of white Virginia slave owners and Afro-Virginians were asked if they would take the oath of allegiance to the United States in exchange for their freedom. One free negro indignantly replied: 'I can't take no such oaf as dat. I'm a secesh nigger.' A slave from this same group, upon learning that his master had refused, proudly exclaimed, 'I can't take no oath dat Massa won't take.' A second slave agreed: 'I ain't going out here on no dishonorable terms.' On another occasion a captured Virginia planter took the oath, but slave remained faithful to the Confederacy and refused. This slave returned to Virginia by a flag of truce boat and expressed disgust at his owner's disloyalty: 'Massa had no principles.' Confederate prisoners of war paid tribute to the loyalty, ingenuity, and diligence of 'kind-hearted' blacks who attended to their needs and considered them fellow Southerners."



"The public support and activities of Afro-Confederates, a minority within a minority, received considerable prominence. A Charlottesville newspaper reported an interview with Hames Ward, a slave who fled 'Yankeedom' to warn his fellow slaves of abuse and racism in Union army camps and of blacks being forced to front lines during battles. He preferred being the slave of "the meanest masters in the South" than a free black man in the North: 'If this is freedom, give me slavery forever.'"




Follow the Amazon link above to find the source of these quotes and much more in Dr. Jordan's highly acclaimed book,  "Black Confederates and Afro-Yankees in Civil War Virginia."

The photo of the author, Ervin L. Jordan, Jr., by LuAnn Williams, is from the University of Virginia website.
Posted by at 6:32 AM

13 comments:

  1. Wow the Guys over at Civil War Memory would stroke if they read much from this guy.
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  2. Actually, those guys would prefer to know the sources of his information. You have done exactly what every "lost causer" does...provide a historian and his "proof" or evidence without any citations or sources. How can one check the validity of what he says. This is exactly why Mr. Ijames was taken to task over at Civil War Memeory...and Mr. Ijames has failed to disprove anything...so much for historical research and I have the same feeling about this guy.
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  3. When did anyone need a stamp of approval from "Civil War Memory?"
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  4. No one needs approval from Civil War Memory, but for a historian to be accepted and have his work peer edited and accepted one needs to include sources and cite his/her material...it is common practice. I don't see any of that with the quotes you provide...not even the mention of a book or website.
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  5. I took a look at your site. You don't seem to be very forthcoming with sources either.

    http://kindredblood.wordpress.com/2009/12/23/discussing-black-confederates/
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  6. That is NOT how Kevin presents it. He is rude and obnoxious when he believes his knowledge on everything about the CW is challenged. I too would love to see both men’s works and research but until that time, I am not going go about the Blogosphere calling them out about it.
    After Kevin embarrassed then banned a Poster over Black Confederates at his blog I don't blame IJames and Mr. Jordan from not interacting with him regardless of the forum.
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  7. Corey,

    How sophomoric of you to accuse me of not citing my sources when I have given a link to the book where you can find the above quotes and much more. Dr. Jordan's scholarly work, "Black Confederates and Afro-Yankees in Civil War Virginia" is anything but a Confederate apologetic. It is balanced history from a highly respected professor, with a very extensive 120 page addendum of notes, index and bibliography of primary sources.

    As I see it you are either too cheap to buy the book, too lazy to read it, or just you just want to be argumentative. I suppose all three are may be the case.
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  8. My apologies, the browser was not putting the link box on the screen...just one of those boxes with a small x in it.
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  9. "As I see it you are either too cheap to buy the book, too lazy to read it, or just you just want to be argumentative. I suppose all three may be the case."

    You left out #4: he's a moron.
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  10. I agree you can read the index for free at Amazona and it is nearly 10 pages long.
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  11. Good one STJ...again...how old are we?
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  12. Corey
    "This is exactly why Mr. Ijames was taken to task over at Civil War Memeory...and Mr. Ijames has failed to disprove anything...so much for historical research and I have the same feeling about this guy."

    The several posts and comments on that blog looked more like a personal attack against Mr Ijames than any review of his research.

    The current academic world is dominated by the Left. I don't think we can expect a fair review of the evidence from the David Blights, McPhersons, etc...

    David Blight:
    "The issue, one of competing popular memories, is driven largely by the desire of current white supremacists to re-legitimize the Confederacy, while they tacitly reject the victories of the modern civil rights movement."
    http://davidwblight.com/levine.htm

    So research of blacks in Confederate service makes you a white supremacist and an enemy of the civil rights movement???
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  13. I am sadden that Dr. Blight would make a statement like that.
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