U.S. History from 1700 to 1877 - Essay Example

The achievements of African-Americans before and after the Civil War were often shrouded by their struggles for emancipation and equality. In previous centuries, historical perspectives lean towards the chronicling of the experiences of the majority of the population. In the US, the dearth of information with regards African-American contributions to society, culture, politics and in war can be attributed to the majority’s disregard of the African-American involvement in politics and in the military. One of the few notable resources on African-American heroism during the Civil War, ‘The Negro in American Rebellion’ by William Wells Brown, a noted literary figure, most famous for his autobiographical sketches of his life as a slave, highlights the contributions of African-Americans in the military, in previous wars and in various slave uprisings (Robbins et al, 43). Recounted in less traditional historical point of view, the book argues that the African-American involvement and contributions to the war efforts were ignored or misrepresented in other traditional historical documentation which chronicled the life of African-American soldiers. Brown also tracked the heroic struggles of the soldiers in various battlefields and notes the injustices they faced. Most famous for his autobiography, ‘William W. Brown, a Fugitive Slave, Written by Himself,’ in which he received worldwide acclaim, Brown was also a lecturer, dramatist and a novelist. He took part in anti-slavery struggles and wrote poetry, fiction and history mostly regarding slavery in order to advance his cause and gain supporters sympathetic to the anti-slavery movement. Born in 1814 to a slave mother and a white father, Brown grew up in a plantation in Kentucky and moved to Missouri to work as a house servant. He ran away and became one of the foremost voices in anti-slavery movement. With the publication of his autobiography, Brown gained international fame in Europe as well as in America. He went on a speaking tour in Europe, wrote the first travel book written by an African-American and with the publication of his work, ‘Clotel, The President’s Daughter,’ the first African-American novel, Brown established himself as a formidable voice in American literature (Robbins et al, 41-139). Brown’s historical account of the contribution Africa-American slaves to the war efforts, ‘The Negro in American Rebellion,’ was first published in 1867. The first edition copy, physically, has turned brown and the edges of the some of the pages have crumbled and disintegrated. However, its contents were able to cope with the changes in time as its prose was delivered with clarity and language that was neither abstruse nor too simple. The book was intended for the general audience and history scholars alike especially for those who want to understand the struggles of the African-Americans more profoundly and view these struggles in first-hand perspective. Students and scholars of history will also benefit from the account as it offers an alternative perspective of the US history. The book is also a gentle criticism of American policies on African-Americans and thus, the point of view that members of the minority with regards the American experience brings forth a more accurate account when used side by side with the mainstream historical documents. The book’s thesis was clearly stated in the first few pages. In the preface, Brown laments that he waited until ‘some one more competent’ would take the subject with regards the contribution of African-Americans in military and in the war and ‘although many books have been written upon the rebellion’ no one had written about the African-American experience (Preface, vi). Brown begins Chapter 1 with a very apparent purpose in which he states that he “now undertake[s] to write a history of the part which colored men took in the great American Rebellion” (p. 1). This thesis and purpose were backed by primary documents which include newspaper articles, documents published by the government, letters both from government archives and personal private ones as well as published government materials. Tertiary documents from other history books were also used so as first-hand observations given by unnamed contributors. Some citations were left out and the lack of index at the end of the book is especially notable. The book has a few weaknesses but on the whole the author’s arguments are convincing as they were backed by primary sources. Although the utilization of first-hand observation could make a work look biased, many scholars rely on first hand experiences in documenting historical events. However, in Brown’s book, these observations can be considered reliable when analyzed in the context of the period. Many African-Americans were afraid to speak for fear of retaliation and threats to their lives and yet contributed their own experiences in order to gain freedom and equality. Brown’s contentions about the cause of the Civil War have robust foundations as he claims that ‘slavery was always barbarous’ and ‘the rebellion was the result of this incongruity between [slavery] and freedom’ (p. 30). Brown also argues for equal rights as well as voting rights of African-Americans during the post-war reconstruction period utilizing the military contributions of the African-Americans to back his claims (p. 204). Brown’s work approximately four hundred pages long but considering the scope of his documentation of the African-American military exploits before the Declaration of Independence until 1865, the length is justified. Foreign terms were not employed and Brown’s use of difficult words was sparing and careful, yet, depicted his literary style. The narrative exhibits lucidity and fluidity reminiscent of a work of an educated novelist and yet one who does not sacrifice factual historical information for the sake of an excellent narrative and drama. The author’s agenda is apparent from the beginning: To promote the rights of African-Americans, acknowledge the contributions of the African-Americans in the war, support the anti-slavery efforts and bestow voting rights to soldiers of African descent in the Union. This agenda is highlighted in Brown’s prose in which he alternated historical facts and observations with commentary and opinion. Most of these though, were substantiated by historical events and first-hand accounts. For instance, Brown argues about ‘pay discrimination’ as well as injustices inflicted on Afro-American soldiers. This he substantiates with quotes from the soldiers of the 54th and 55th Massachusetts Regiment who contends that it is “an insult, after promising... soldier’s pay, and calling [them] to do a soldier’s duty” merely offering them “the wages of a labourer” (p. 145). Brown also recalls the inhumane treatment of African-American and the brutal crimes inflicted on them by recounting the massacre of the African-American troops at Fort Pillow. These substantiations make an interesting read as the author provides a mixture of historical facts and first-hand narrative. The description and narration follow a fiction-style and literary approach infused with dialogues which do not fail to heighten the interest of the readers especially those who want to understand deeply the experiences of African-American before and after slavery. Except for the notable characters and historical figures on which the author failed to provide biographical information, the book does not illustrate any other weakness. Hence, the book is not just recommended for students and people interested in history, Brown’s work argues for required reading as books like these are scarce. Mainstream textbooks as well as the existing textbooks in history most schools provide are written in the point of view of the majority. Brown’s book is important in the understanding of the American history and experience as a whole in that it offers a disparate insight of life in the past; it factually depicts the struggles of the African-American soldiers and argues for the acknowledgement of their heroism. The experiences of the African-American soldiers in uprisings, rebellion and war cannot be discounted as they form a collective consciousness of the American life. Hence, only through the delineation of this past consciousness could propel a humane nation forward. WORKS CITED Brown, William Wells. The Negro in the American Rebellion: His Heroism and His Fidelity. Boston: Lee & Shepard, 1867. Hollis Robbins, Brown, William Wells and Paula Garrett. The Works of William Wells Brown: Using His "Strong, Manly Voice". The collected black writings series. New York, N.Y. [u.a.]: Oxford Univ. Press, 2006. Read More