We the (Black) People

I am launching my podcast by addressing a question that frequently gets two competing answers.

Most high school textbooks (and even a quick Google search) say Abraham Lincoln freed the slaves. Yet since the end of the Civil War, Black people and scholars have argued that the slaves freed themselves. Even with compelling evidence, the White-savior narrative has remained the dominant one.

I guess remembering that the Union only reluctantly proclaimed emancipation after tens of thousands of slaves had already fled to Union lines and declared themselves free isn't as glorious a story to tell.

Enslaved people were central actors of the Civil War from the beginning. Professor David Williams, author of I Freed Myself, joins me to discuss how Black people turned a war about keep the Union whole into emancipation, citizenship, and voting rights.

It was an uphill battle from the beginning as the Union government declared that it was not going to war to free slaves. Yet, Black people forced this to change by risking their lives to flee, fight for the Union, and demand rights for their service.

This is the incredible story of how Black people forced America closer to fulfilling its ideals that should be told in schools.

Relevant Books [As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.]

I Freed Myself: African American Self-Emancipation in the Civil War Era by David Williams (https://amzn.to/32GtQ3J)

Black Reconstruction in America, 1860-1880 by WEB DuBois (https://amzn.to/36quPGm)

Professor Williams also said that A People's History of the United States (https://amzn.to/2UwxKHW) is a huge inspiration to him, and it's a classic.

There are tons of further readings on slave self-emancipation, so I will just start by suggesting one that I really like, The Slaves' War: The Civil War in the Words of Former Slaves (https://amzn.to/2UwqlZi).

Music Credit

PeaceLoveSoul by Jeris (c) copyright 2012 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/VJ_Memes/35859 Ft: KungFu (KungFuFrijters)

Hi everyone!

My name is Brooklyn and I just graduated with a History BA into the craziness that is 2020 without a clear idea of what to do next. Yet, I have long seen and wanted to share the importance of history with people. Especially since society often undervalues history, particularly mine as a Black American.

There are so many amazing stories featuring Black people in America's history that are worth sharing, but often ignored. So, I am using this podcast to have conversations about those stories and what they mean for America's present and future. Talking with experts, friends, and family is my way of adding my voice to the historical fight to make the "We" in "We The People" include people like me.

I'm so excited to learn about new parts of history and to share it with you! History is full of fascinating people and learning that a diverse array of people have made America who we are today is a powerful exercise.

Let's get started!

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Music credit:

PeaceLoveSoul by Jeris (c) copyright 2012 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/VJ_Memes/35859 Ft: KungFu (KungFuFrijters)