Climbing Up to Glory: a Short History of African Americans during the Civil War and Reconstruction.By Wilbert L. Jenkins. (Wilmington, Del.: SR Books, 2002. Pp. [xvi], 285. Paper, $21.95, ISBN ISBN abbr. International Standard Book Number ISBN International Standard Book Number ISBN n abbr (= International Standard Book Number) → ISBN m 0-8420-2817-X; cloth, $65.00, ISBN 0-8420-2816-1.) In this well-written volume Wilbert L. Jenkins tells the story of African Americans during Civil War and Reconstruction "from the bottom up" by "recogniz[ing] blacks as the central actors in their own lives and not as passive objects of a white-dominated society" (pp. xiii-xiv). Jenkins organizes his work into eight chapters, each of which tackles an issue associated with African American freedom, such as military service, economic independence, education, and the role of the black church. Also, in order to make this history relevant to the "process of inquiry and discovery" by today's students, Jenkins's treatment of Reconstruction discusses the Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth Amendments, the Civil Rights Acts Federal legislation enacted by Congress over the course of a century beginning with the post-Civil War era that implemented and extended the fundamental guarantees of the Constitution to all citizens of the United States, regardless of their race, color, age, or religion. of 1866 and 1875, and the Enforcement Acts of 1870 and 1871 with an eye to how such legislation laid the foundation for modern civil rights initiatives. His book also reveals different interpretations regarding the Civil War, particularly his assessment of Abraham Lincoln as a "reluctant friend" to African Americans (chap. 1). Lincoln, who supported gradual emancipation, is described by Jenkins as having "a mixed record on the issue of black freedom" (p. 6). This characterization is based on Lincoln's congressional record A daily publication of the federal government that details the legislative proceedings of Congress. The Congressional Record began in 1873 and, in 1947, a feature called The Daily Digest was added to briefly highlight the daily legislative activities of each House, and his proposal to abolish slavery in the District of Columbia District of Columbia, federal district (2000 pop. 572,059, a 5.7% decrease in population since the 1990 census), 69 sq mi (179 sq km), on the east bank of the Potomac River, coextensive with the city of Washington, D.C. (the capital of the United States). , a proposal that evinced "a yes-and-no attitude toward the institution [of slavery]" (p. 7). Jenkins's portrayal of Lincoln puts the president in direct opposition to what is termed "military emancipation," a measure by which Union generals would preempt pre·empt or pre-empt v. pre·empt·ed, pre·empt·ing, pre·empts v.tr. 1. To appropriate, seize, or take for oneself before others. See Synonyms at appropriate. 2. a. presidential authority and free slaves in Federal-occupied territory. Lincoln viewed such efforts as detrimental to building the political coalitions he thought so essential to preserving the Union. Similar is Jenkins's view of the Emancipation Proclamation Emancipation Proclamation, in U.S. history, the executive order abolishing slavery in the Confederate States of America. Desire for Such a Proclamation , which "stipulated that freed slaves would be accepted by the Union military 'to garrison forts, positions, stations, and other places, and to man vessels of all sorts in said service"' (p. 15). Although the proclamation was widely viewed by southern blacks as their salvation, Lincoln also continued to push for a program of compensated emancipation and the voluntary colonization of blacks on this continent and elsewhere. Once black soldiers were recruited into the Union army, their struggles for equality were only beginning, since rampant white racism made the use of black troops in combat units problematic, especially to northern efforts to recruit white officers. According to Jenkins, "most whites in the Union Army were opposed to having blacks in the service" (p. 26), yet African Americans nevertheless served in a total of 449 engagements during the war, 39 of which were considered major battles. Not all enslaved Enslaved may refer to:
Jenkins has produced a study that is both readable and scholarly. His use of slave narratives, diaries, journals, personal correspondence, and secondary works makes this book worthwhile to students and teachers of African American history African American history is the portion of American history that specifically discusses the African American or Black American ethnic group in the United States. Most African Americans are the descendants of African slaves held in the United States from 1619 to 1865. , the Civil War, and the Reconstruction era. MICHAEL E. LONG Introduction Mike Long was born October 13, 1946 in Albany, New York. He developed his love for coaching while in the service, where he was a player/assistant coach for the Fort Sheridan Post basketball team. Pasco-Hernando Community College Pasco-Hernando Community College (PHCC) is the newest two-year community college in Florida. With four campuses in Brooksville, Dade City, New Port Richey and Spring Hill, PHCC serves rural Pasco and Hernando counties in the central west coast of Florida. |
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