The Revolutionary War encompassed at least two struggles: one for freedom from British rule; and another; quieter but no less significant fight for the liberty of African Americans; thousands of whom fought in the Continental Army. Because these veterans left few letters or diaries; their story has remained largely untold; and the significance of their service largely unappreciated. Standing in Their Own Light restores these African American patriots to their rightful place in the historical struggle for independence and the end of racial oppression. Revolutionary era African Americans began their lives in a world that hardly questioned slavery; they finished their days in a world that increasingly contested the existence of the institution. Judith L. Van Buskirk traces this shift to the wartime experiences of African Americans. Mining firsthand sources that include black veterans’ pension files; Van Buskirk examines how the struggle for independence moved from the battlefield to the courthouse—and how personal conflicts contributed to the larger struggle against slavery and legal inequality. Black veterans claimed an American identity based on their willing sacrifice on behalf of American independence. And abolitionists; citing the contributions of black soldiers; adopted the tactics and rhetoric of revolution; personal autonomy; and freedom. Van Buskirk deftly places her findings in the changing context of the time. She notes the varied conditions of slavery before the war; the different degrees of racial integration across the Continental Army; and the war’s divergent effects on both northern and southern states. Her efforts retrieve black patriots’ experiences from historical obscurity and reveal their importance in the fight for equal rights—even though it would take another war to end slavery in the United States.
#2276765 in Books University of Oklahoma Press 2010-10-01 2003-04-21Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 8.50 x .50 x 5.50l; .55 #File Name: 080614159X214 pages
Review
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Personal heroes: John Muir; Mark Twain; and Viola MartinezBy david mcneillI found this book totally by chance wandering the library shelves in the history section. After reading dear; sweet Viola's story; my life was changed. If it wasn't for Diana Bahr having written the book; I would have never known about this wonderful universal woman of our time. A real heroine and role model that all people need to learn about; not just the tribe she came from.I lived right in her home town and never got the chance to meet her. She died just before I found the book.But I will never forget her. God Bless her and all her family.2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Mastery in a world on the marginBy Kenneth L. AnthonyViola Martinez; California Paiute: Living in Two Worlds Sociologists and social historians once commonly believed that individuals suffered negative psychological effects from the uncertainty of being on a margin between different cultures. In Viola Martinez; California Paiute; author and oral historian Diana Meyers Bahr holds that Martinez' life story refutes that view; showing instead that an individual with ability can use the margin straddling cultures as a place of opportunity. Viola Martinez' memories disclose numerous experiences of marginality; but also of achievement. More importantly; Bahr's account emphasizes Martinez' personal agency in negotiating the margin. When Viola realized she no longer fit exactly either in white or Indian society; she decided she needed to do whatever she did for herself. (p.67) She became aware of her own thinking and learning; she challenged herself to master white skills and determined to disprove a theory that "Indian brains were different." Like her subject; Diana Bahr negotiates two worlds; historically placing Viola Martinez' story in context; interpreting and analyzing it while respecting a life that may serve as an inspiration to anyone in a marginal situation. In today's rapidly changing world; that includes all of us.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Viola Martinez a California Paiute teacherBy Erika E. St JohnVery interesting history on a Paiute women who struggled to educate herself and was a counselor at Mansanar internant camp
