The Background to Modern African American History Slavery and the Civil War
African Americans in 1860 About 4,000,000 slaves About 400,000 free African Americans Half in South Half in North Dred Scott Supreme Court case (1857): People of African Descent could NOT be citizens of the U.S.
Task Labor (rice region)
Gang Labor -- Cotton
Other work by slaves house work –more often women and children skilled labor--artisans slave drivers and overseers
Slave Cabin (Georgia)
Slave Housing (S. C. coast)
Religion Evangelical Christian Formal and informal congregations Baptist Methodist Formal and informal congregations Black Preachers Spirituals
Family Life Husbands and wives Parents and children Competition with masters
Families Divided Lack of legal protection Reasons: Separate masters Gifts and inheritance Moving west with owners Sale to interstate trade
Punishment
Music and folklore
Civil War (1861 – 1865) Confederacy – secession to protect slavery Union -- At first -- NOT to end slavery—to preserve the union Abraham Lincoln views before 1860: Opposes slavery AND opposes equal citizenship
Toward emancipation Runaways: “Contrabands” of war Failure of “soft war” policy Emancipation Proclamation Preliminary September 1862 Final January 1, 1863
Black Soldiers in the Civil War
Recruiting poster
Battle of Fort Wagner, July 1863
Memorial to Mass. 54th -- Boston
African Americans fighting for Union 130,000 had been slaves in 1860 50,000 - 60,000 were free before the CW
13th Amendment ended slavery Adopted, 1865
Some course themes Oppression and resistance Citizenship Work; Religion; Music
Reconstruction after Civil War Questions: What place for the former slaves? Citizens? Laborers? What place for all African Americans?
506 Lecture 1 (2106) For Wednesday Bring to class – typed: TWO QUESTIONS you would like answered in this course Read 14th and 15th Amendments (myCourses) Can you explain clearly the what the second clause of the 14th Amendment says about voting?