After the Glory
The heroics of black Union soldiers in the Civil War have been justly
celebrated, but their postwar lives largely neglected. Donald Shaffer's
illuminating study shines a bright light on this previously obscure part of
African American history, revealing for the first time black veterans' valiant
but often frustrating efforts to secure true autonomy and equality as
civilians. "After the Glory shows how black veterans' experiences as
soldiers provided them for the first time with a sense of manliness that shaped
not only their own lives but also their contributions to the African American
community. Shaffer makes clear, however, that their postwar pursuit of
citizenship and a dignified manhood was never very easy for black veterans,
their triumphs frequently neither complete nor lasting. Shaffer chronicles the
postwar transition of black veterans from the Union army, as well as their
subsequent life patterns, political involvement, family and marital life,
experiences with social welfare, comradeship with other veterans, and memories
of the war itself. He draws on such sources as Civil War pension records to
fashion a collective biography--a social history of both ordinary and notable
lives--resurrecting the words and memories of many black veterans to provide an
intimate view of their lives and struggles.
Like other African Americans from many walks
of life, black veterans fought fiercely against disenfranchisement and Jim Crow
and were better equipped to do so than most other African Americans. They
carried a sense of pride instilled by their military service that made them
better prepared to confront racism and discrimination and more respected in
their own communities. As Shafferreveals, they also had nearly equal access to
military pensions, financial resources available to few other blacks, and even
found acceptance among white Union veterans in the Grand Army of the Republic
fraternity. "
After the Glory is not merely
another tale of black struggles in a racist America; it is the story of how a
select group of African Americans led a quest for manhood--and often found it
within themselves when no one else would give it to them.
Hardcover, 282 pages
Published July 1st 2004 by
University Press of Kansas
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