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Beginning your review of The Free State of Jones: Mississippi's Longest Civil War

Jun 28, 2016 Jeffrey Keeten rated it really liked it

"It was easy to see why the legend had endured. Its characters were larger than life: men bound to ane another by kinship, economic status, and membership in a paramilitary band armed against the Confederacy; women every bit spring by kinship and unfettered by the chains of courtly behavior; and even some slaves, although Piney Forest, Mississippi was non a major slaveholding region. Towering above all other characters in popular memory were 'Captain' Newt Knight, the grandson of a slaveholder, and "It was easy to see why the fable had endured. Its characters were larger than life: men jump to one another by kinship, economic condition, and membership in a paramilitary band armed against the Confederacy; women every bit bound by kinship and unfettered by the bondage of ladylike behavior; and even some slaves, although Piney Forest, Mississippi was not a major slaveholding region. Towering to a higher place all other characters in popular memory were 'Helm' Newt Knight, the grandson of a slaveholder, and Rachel Knight, the slave of Newt'south grandpa. Their relationship added the specter of interracial intimacy to the story."

Newton Knight

There is a misconception regarding the Canton of Jones in Mississippi. Some think this county seceded from the Confederacy, just the existent truth is they never left the Union. They remained loyal to their federal government, and some men even left to join the Spousal relationship army, just a grouping of men, some deserters from the Amalgamated Regular army and some slaves, banded together to form a resistance to what they considered to exist an invading force.

Rachel was a slave, a pretty woman with light pare. Her descendents tried to convince people that she was of Castilian heritage as a way to excuse her dark optics, dark hair, and tinted complexion. It is all rubbish, of course, merely people putting their racism on brandish when what they should exist is feeling proud that, despite her circumstances, she became a woman to be reckoned with. Ethel Knight wrote a damning biography of Newt simply possibly unintentionally revealed the more interesting part of the story. "Ethel not only restored Rachel'due south historical office, only she also unveiled a powerful, larger-than-life woman who had endured slavery, sexual exploitation, the Civil War Reconstruction, and Mississippi's mounting campaign for white supremacy and racial segregation. Most strikingly, Rachel seemed to have had as much bear on on the world around her equally it had on her."

Rachel Knight

Rachel had 3 children earlier the Ceremonious War; all the children were apparently from white fathers. As a slave, she didn't take much option who bent her over a table and flung her skirt up. The raping of female person slaves was an epidemic in the S. "Between 1890-1920 white Southern literature---especially newspapers---ordinarily portrayed interracial sexual relations every bit the product of sexual activity-crazed black 'fiends' ravishing innocent, virginal blondes, rather than as the product of white men raping black women or of blacks and whites participating in consensual sexual relations."

The interesting thing is, when these wealthy planters impregnated their slaves, they were condemning their own offspring to slavery. In their minds, they were helping to create more workers for their plantations. In that location is a disconnect in this reasoning that has me thinking that sex with their slaves, basically having a harem at their disposal, was more important to them than any thoughts of their ain claret being condemned to a life in chains.

I'one thousand sure Hollywood, in the new movie starring Matthew Mcconaughey, will make it a dear story betwixt Newt and Rachel. The author Victoria East. Bynum doesn't necessary disabuse that notion, but I couldn't help thinking, was this love or was Rachel just being practical? White men found her attractive. Maybe she was with the blastoff dog to keep from having to fend off the attentions of the other men. She had children with Newt, but what makes me experience a bit unsettled about buying the beloved story is that he likewise rumored to accept had children with her daughter. What the heck was going on out there in the deep Mississippi forest? To further complicate the motion picture, he remained married to his wife Serena for the residual of his life.

Men joined Newt out of fearfulness for their lives. They didn't desire to die on a battleground, fighting Yankees for rich planters. It wasn't exactly rubber being with Newt's band; many were caught and hung or shot. They were too suffering economic hardship from beingness away from their homes to go to war. When the Confederacy passed the Twenty Negro Police which immune any Southerner with twenty or more slaves to leave the war to get home to help with harvest, it became articulate to many men that the Confederate Authorities was only worried about the very richest of the rich. Does the man with twenty slaves really demand to go home? Information technology seems to me that this small-scale demographic had plenty of aid to bring in the harvest. Information technology was the man with no slaves, with a wife and a passel load of children, who needed to go home to assist.

Of course, the bulk of the soldiers were poor men with either a modest acreage or were sharecroppers without land. If you let those guys become home, there would be no army. I know many idea they were going to state of war to defend their "raights," merely in reality they were fighting to defend a organization in which they had no peel in the game.

12.2% of the population of Jones County were slaves. This was the lowest percentage of whatever canton in Mississippi. These were non men who aspired to be slave owners. Bynum traces back the history of these men as their ancestors came from Georgia and South Carolina to Mississippi to alive simple lives and avoid the corruption of "over civilization."

There was always something a little unlike virtually Jones County.

Victoria Eastward. Bynum is descended from one of the men who joined Newt Knight in his armed resistance to the Confederacy. I've washed some inquiry on my own family unit, and one of the things that happens is that as you collect the data and begin to put together a picture of who your ancestors are, you start to change how you retrieve about yourself. Discovering your roots is of import, but there is always the take a chance that you will discover that you lot are descended from scalawags or unscrupulous men or a murderer. To me that just adds spice to the stew that is a family tree. Bynum confessed that, one time she finished this book, she was going to miss living every day with these people who were so unique, so brave, and who resisted when many more should take.

If you wish to see more of my well-nigh contempo book and picture reviews, visit http://www.jeffreykeeten.com
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Meaning, Obscure in Ceremonious War History [full disclosure: main character, Newt Knight, is my kickoff cousin, 4 times removed]

curt ad for movie released today half dozen/24

from Smithsonian mag:
Matthew McConaughey thought the Free State of Jones script was the most exciting Civil War story he had ever read, and knew immediately that he wanted to play Newt Knight. In Knight's disobedience of both the Confederate Army and the deepest taboos of Southern civilisation McConaughey sees an uncompromising and deeply mor

Significant, Obscure in Ceremonious War History [full disclosure: main character, Newt Knight, is my first cousin, iv times removed]

curt ad for picture released today half-dozen/24

from Smithsonian magazine:
Matthew McConaughey idea the Complimentary State of Jones script was the most exciting Ceremonious War story he had ever read, and knew immediately that he wanted to play Newt Knight. In Knight's defiance of both the Confederate Regular army and the deepest taboos of Southern culture McConaughey sees an uncompromising and securely moral leader. He was "a man who lived by the Bible and the barrel of a shotgun," McConaughey says in an electronic mail. "If someone—no affair what their color—was existence mistreated or being used, if a poor person was being used by someone to get rich, that was a elementary wrong that needed to be righted in Newt's eyes....He did then deliberately, and to the hell with the consequences." McConaughey sums him upwards as a "shining light through the heart of this state's bloodiest fight. I really kind of marveled at him."

My Review
This is the definitive history of a 2+ yr insurrection against the Confederate States of America led by Newton Knight (my first cousin, 4 times removed) and the Knight Visitor (a band of Civil State of war deserters) in Jones County, Mississippi (where I was raised). The background and reasons for this insurgency against the Confederacy are complex, and primarily chronicle to class: Jones County had the lowest slave population in all of Mississippi, not existence blessed with the fertile lands of the Mississippi Delta region and many felt they were wrongfully called to fight the rich human being plantation/slave owner'south war for slaves and cotton.

Newt Knight, a yeoman farmer who owned no slaves, enlisted for service early on on and was injured in tardily 1861. Already angry upon hearing of the Confederacy's recent passage of the Xx-Negro law allowing an exemption from Confederate army service of one rich white male person for every 20 slaves he/his family owned, Knight decided to desert after hearing how his family was treated by an unsavory grapheme with Confederate ties too as how Knight'due south only horse had been appropriated by the Confederate cavalry as a Confederate taxation levied. After returning to Jones County, he and his band unleashed hellfire upon Confederates.

Quite a suspenseful drama is the whole story, including Knight's long-time affair with Rachel Knight, a slave of his male parent; the two had children together and ultimately became mutual police husband and wife.

The racist drama continued well into the 20th century with a 1948 miscegenation trial of Davis Knight, i of the male descendants who'd married a "white lady." The trial turned upon whether Davis' great-grandmother, Rachel, was a "full-blooded Negro" or was partly Indian. If the latter then Davis would not be the proscribed 1/8 blackness (a so-called "octoroon").

Bynum paints the story perfectly with her well-documented, thorough research and her more than than capable recounting. In my opinion, this volume betters the later book on the same subject field by Sally Jenkins and John Stauffer, The Country of Jones: The Small Southern County that Seceded from the Confederacy, that's based in big part on Bynum's hard piece of work.

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Jun 23, 2016 Maya B rated it it was ok

This was a very dry read. This book felt like a genealogy of the unabridged Knight family. It was a lot to take in and a lot to continue up with. I would compare this book to a textbook. Information technology would accept been great if the book focused on Newt Knight. His life seemed to be very interesting from what I read in this book

Some of my best friends would probably unfriend me if I tried to talk well-nigh this book and got my facts wrong, so I'thousand only going to say I enjoyed the book, and I'm fascinated with the topic. Some of my best friends would probably unfriend me if I tried to talk well-nigh this book and got my facts wrong, so I'm just going to say I enjoyed the book, and I'g fascinated with the topic. ...more

Oct 31, 2012 Marion Morgan rated information technology it was amazing

I finished this book months ago and still cannot believe that there is so much hidden about the S during the Civil State of war that I have been oblivious to. The book introduced me to real people of the Southward, who did not own slaves, saw the war for what information technology was, then seceded from the Confederacy. Bynum does the best anyone has to appointment to divide fact from the myths that arose to cover up the horrible wrongs that were committed or to alibi ingrained practices, including miscegenation.

Feb fourteen, 2016 Neb rated it it was amazing

I don't often choice upward a book later on seeing a movie, much less a film trailer, but in this case I am glad I did. Victoria Bynum presents a detailed history of a rebellion of small farmers, deserters from the Confederate Ground forces, and escaped slaves against the Confederate slave holding aristocracy. Loyal to the Wedlock, Helm Newton Knight successfully fought off repeated Confederate cavalry raids from 1863 to the end of the Civil War, and was notorious throughout the side by side century not only for his su I don't ofttimes pick up a book after seeing a movie, much less a movie trailer, but in this case I am glad I did. Victoria Bynum presents a detailed history of a rebellion of minor farmers, deserters from the Amalgamated Ground forces, and escaped slaves against the Confederate slave holding aristocracy. Loyal to the Marriage, Captain Newton Knight successfully fought off repeated Confederate cavalry raids from 1863 to the terminate of the Civil War, and was notorious throughout the next century non only for his successful resistance to the "Lost Cause," but also for his extended mixed race family unit. Knight has been alternately lauded for his daring and initiative in fighting off the Amalgamated Ground forces and sustaining the people of a poor county in Mississippi and vilified for his disobedience of the South'south increasingly draconian segregation. Despite Professor Bynum's measured bookish tone, the moving story of a gallant band who stood fast against the nighttime tide of secession and segregation shines forth. I highly recommend this book non just equally an antidote to racist Southern mythology just also to the caricature of the South as uniformly illiterate and bigoted. Conscientious in its analysis, this story is also refreshing and inspirational in its humanity. One place where interested readers can continue the conversation is Professor Bynum's blog, Renegade South. ...more than

Jun 02, 2014 Matt Cleere rated information technology really liked it

A neat look within the Civil War south. Contrary to what amalgamated flag waiving Southerners like to think, not everybody in the South was keen on secession from the North. My family unit on my Mom'southward side are from Jones and Woods counties and many of them still live in that surface area. The "white" Knights of Jones county are something of a fable down in that location. This book really fleshes out that legend. Highly recommended. A great look within the Civil War south. Contrary to what confederate flag waiving Southerners like to think, not everybody in the South was dandy on secession from the Northward. My family on my Mom's side are from Jones and Forest counties and many of them nevertheless alive in that area. The "white" Knights of Jones county are something of a fable downward there. This book really fleshes out that legend. Highly recommended. ...more

Mar 01, 2016 Delway Burton rated it really liked it

This book is presently to be a moving picture. I accept long been fascinated how individuals caught in the great tides of history, tin can often have completely dissimilar experiences. Individual histories are non monolithic. The fictional novel, Common cold Mountain, touched on the fact that the American Ceremonious War was not all about epic battles. Ms. Bynum is a historian and this book reads like a text book, heavily based on genealogy. Keeping the characters even half-way directly took considerable endeavour and I was often l This book is soon to be a picture show. I have long been fascinated how individuals caught in the keen tides of history, can ofttimes take completely different experiences. Individual histories are not monolithic. The fictional novel, Cold Mount, touched on the fact that the American Civil War was not all near epic battles. Ms. Bynum is a historian and this book reads like a text book, heavily based on genealogy. Keeping the characters even half-way straight took considerable effort and I was often lost. The history is of a corner of the American Southward that chose not to secede. In the piney woods of what is now southern Mississippi, yeoman farmers, generally not-slaveholders, chose to desert the Confederate army and walk dwelling house. There they formed around a charismatic leader, Newt Knight, who established a paramilitary force to oppose the Confederacy. They fought guerrilla-style and while dozens were caught and hanged, most survived. Knight himself is a considerable mystery. He seems to have fathered many children, by 3 different women, two of whom were former slaves. He chose not to tell his story. Much of what we know of him are oral histories, many of which are suspect or outright incorrect. His legacy gave rise to a mixed race community, called "white negroes," that persists until today. This also leads to the paradoxes and irreconcilable incongruities of race, the Civil War, and the nation today. The final point of the volume is a trial that took place in 1948 in Mississippi, accusing a Knight descendent of miscegenation, marrying across the color line. This leads to the confused country of a mixed race person, a mutual occurrence today, in those biased times. Dna testing today solves the problem apace, but then information technology was a matter of appearance, homo perception and experience, which is entirely subjective. Information technology volition be interesting to see how Hollywood handles all this. ...more

To be honest, I zoned out several times while listening to this. I recollect I struggle with history books, especially in audio (see Agreement Japan: A Cultural History). Mahershala Ali, the narrator, is not at fault for my struggles though. He did an excellent job keeping an interested tone without over dramatizing anything (which I detect some narrators of non-fiction volition do in an endeavor to be more engaging).

So, the history of Newt Knight is interesting and I like how Bynum structured the volume

To be honest, I zoned out several times while listening to this. I remember I struggle with history books, specially in audio (run into Understanding Nippon: A Cultural History). Mahershala Ali, the narrator, is not at fault for my struggles though. He did an first-class job keeping an interested tone without over dramatizing anything (which I find some narrators of non-fiction will do in an try to be more engaging).

And so, the history of Newt Knight is interesting and I like how Bynum structured the book:

I began the Civil War saga by tracing the roots of Jones Canton dissent back to the Revolutionary War era, and I ended it by connecting the story to the mod Ceremonious Rights era.

I establish information technology particularly keen that many of Knight's ancestors, and the ancestors of the men who joined The Knight Company, were involved in the Regulator Movement in N Carolina prior to the Revolutionary War. I am only aware of the Regulator Move because it serves every bit the historical backdrop to the fifth book in the Outlander serial, The Fiery Cross. I love when books connect to other books.

I would recommend this to anyone interested in Mississippi history. I'm no historian, but information technology seemed to be heavily researched and Bynum seems to be passionate about the subject. I may take to listen to this a second time around for whatsoever of the historical facts and details to stick with me, but that's this reader's trouble, and shouldn't be taken every bit a criticism of the book itself (or the narrator).

Further Reading:
Renegade South: Histories of Unconventional Southerners

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May 09, 2016 Debbie Jacob rated it really liked it

Deciding on how to rate this book was the most difficult decision I have ever had to make when it comes to rating a book. The story is fantastic, almost unbelievable, just the writing is stuffy, chronological history that really needed some life in it. I would have liked to get a amend feeling for the characters. You actually had to be interested in pursuing this story to not get bogged down in the detailed writing that tells rather that shows the story. It's hard to imagine a county that broke of Deciding on how to rate this book was the well-nigh difficult decision I accept ever had to make when it comes to rating a volume. The story is fantastic, almost unbelievable, merely the writing is stuffy, chronological history that really needed some life in it. I would have liked to get a better feeling for the characters. You really had to be interested in pursuing this story to non go bogged downwardly in the detailed writing that tells rather that shows the story. It's hard to imagine a county that bankrupt off from the Confederacy and declared itself an independent land. I wanted to really experience the people who made that decision. That demand to see and feel those people is what kept me reading and that is why I gave The Free State of Jones a four. There'southward a lot to imagine for the movie coming out in June. ...more than

This book was very dry out, and as much as I similar Mahershala Ali as an actor, his quiet narration of the audiobook left something to be desired. The data is good and well-researched, but reads like a genealogy of the Knight family and a textbook history of race-relations in Mississippi.

I have wanted to read this book for a long fourth dimension because it takes place in Jones Canton, Mississippi where my ancestors lived during the Ceremonious State of war. I wish they had been part of the Knight Company rebels, but my folks were fighting with the Confederates not confronting them. Still, these men and women were their neighbors/cousins raised with all the same issues, civilization, history and social codes. With over 100 pages of endnotes, bibliography and family trees, the scholarly work has given me a lot to I have wanted to read this volume for a long time because it takes identify in Jones County, Mississippi where my ancestors lived during the Civil War. I wish they had been part of the Knight Company rebels, but my folks were fighting with the Confederates not against them. However, these men and women were their neighbors/cousins raised with even so problems, culture, history and social codes. With over 100 pages of endnotes, bibliography and family unit trees, the scholarly work has given me a lot to inquiry. ...more

This is a highly detailed and fabulously researched book about a fascinating and of import field of study. And so information technology is a little disappointing that it is such a slog to read. Bynum's scholarship is across question, not just in assembling meticulous inquiry amongst the locals of the region, only also in her analysis of the various factors leading both to the Union-sympathising rebellion and the mixed-race isolated community i of the rebels after founded. Merely the book is overwhelmed by genealogical de This is a highly detailed and fabulously researched volume near a fascinating and of import subject area. So it is a trivial disappointing that it is such a slog to read. Bynum'south scholarship is beyond question, non merely in assembling meticulous inquiry among the locals of the region, but also in her analysis of the various factors leading both to the Marriage-sympathising rebellion and the mixed-race isolated community one of the rebels later on founded. Only the book is overwhelmed by genealogical detail, and diverse anecdotes, never finding a clear narrative throughline. Which is a shame, considering this story: this is a seriously awesome story.
Office of the structural issue of the book is that Burnam is at pains *not* to make this the story of Newt Knight. Her reasons for this are actually of import: she is great to clarify that the rebellion wasn't the result of one man'southward mission, but rather a reflection of broader schisms within Southern whites - the divergence betwixt cash-ingather-based, slaveowning, capitalist-aspiring planters and cocky-sufficient libertarian farmers, whose priority was independence not wealth. She achieves this very well - the strongest parts of the book are the early on chapters, which give context and background to Mississippi settlement and the communities which developed prior to the Ceremonious State of war.
The problem with non focusing on Newt, is that the second part of the volume, which deals with the mixed-race community, is not based on that broader movement only rather just Newt, his wife Serena and Rachel Knight. Both Rachel and Serena seemed to have supported the rebellion, merely their roles are left entirely unclear. Information almost how Rachel arrived in the County is provided, but and so she kinda slips out of the wealth of detail, re-emerging only in the terminal chapters to exist very pregnant. Her role during the rebellion - even such basic things as whether she fled or not - is unremarked on.
Bynum is also at lengths not to over interpret. Just when it comes to race issues, this makes the book very disjointed. She pretty much abstains on what Newt's moral views on slavery were (nevermind anyone else'due south) - because there is no evidence - but it makes the whole give-and-take of the rebellion seem completely separate to the issues of race-based slavery, and equality. The book feels near like two separate books, with the fairly crucial effect of how 1 led to the other: the rebellion to the mixed-race community - completely absent-minded. And it is kinda the most interesting question.
In dissimilarity, the descendents of Newt and Rachel get amend handling, leading to some interesting musings on the nature of race, and it'due south essentially social nature.
Overall, I would recommend this volume, just I besides think the topic is ripe for a treatment with a stronger focus on the through narrative of the community. ...more

Jul 06, 2018 Josh rated information technology actually liked it

Only got about 1/2 through this book earlier information technology was due at the library. And I never saw the movie. Only I have a feeling this was everything (scholarly inquiry using primary docs & oral histories to reveal intricacies of racial politics large & small-scale as seen through black communities, white communities, mixed communities, folks who laissez passer, and white supremacists) that the picture wasn't (hollywood blast nail simplicity). Makes me remember the real story was a truly fascinating microcosm of race in Americ Only got about 1/2 through this book before information technology was due at the library. And I never saw the movie. But I have a feeling this was everything (scholarly research using primary docs & oral histories to reveal intricacies of racial politics big & modest equally seen through black communities, white communities, mixed communities, folks who pass, and white supremacists) that the picture show wasn't (hollywood blast boom simplicity). Makes me think the real story was a truly fascinating microcosm of race in America.

The nigh powerful recommendation, I think: white Mississippi 'traditionalists' (ahem) are every bit committed to disparaging the Free Country of Jones as they are to upholding the award & virtue of the Confederacy. If they see something nefarious here, I know there's something real re: race!

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On the whole, this is a well-researched book that pierces the fog of the Lost Cause myth to reveal a complex picture of Southern antebellum civilisation where economic pressures and bloodlines determined political loyalties more than pure ideology. For those (like me) who oasis't seen the movie and were non already familiar the history of Jones County, Mississippi, Bynum'south panoramic historical lens makes it hard to run into the master storyline during the Ceremonious War catamenia. Instead of laying a groundwor On the whole, this is a well-researched volume that pierces the fog of the Lost Cause myth to reveal a complex picture show of Southern antebellum culture where economic pressures and bloodlines determined political loyalties more than than pure ideology. For those (similar me) who haven't seen the movie and were non already familiar the history of Jones Canton, Mississippi, Bynum's panoramic historical lens makes it difficult to see the principal storyline during the Civil War menstruation. Instead of laying a groundwork, the early chapters often render the latter anticlimactic.

Though I liked it, this could have been a truly great book with a little more than narrative structure.

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A very enjoyable read about a subject I before knew nothing most. Before reading this book most the County of Jones Mississippi I thought I was a student of the Ceremonious State of war. I learned a lot about Black history reading this book and the large role they had during the Civil war and this section of the state.

A well written, easy to read book.

I learned a lot about anti-slavery efforts in the south too as the anti-secessionist movement among yeoman farmers in Mississippi. Interesting stuff.

I was particularly disgusted to acquire of the origins of some racist myths that are withal perpetuated today, some of which have come out of my land's governor'due south mouth.

A well written, like shooting fish in a barrel to read book.

I learned a lot almost anti-slavery efforts in the s too as the anti-secessionist motility amongst yeoman farmers in Mississippi. Interesting stuff.

I was particularly disgusted to learn of the origins of some racist myths that are still perpetuated today, some of which have come out of my state'south governor'due south oral cavity.

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I liked it ieven though it was kind of a plod. Heavy with historical data and family trees, I watchedthe film beginning then read this book I recollect that gave me more reason to want to read the book

Oct 21, 2016 Paul rated it really liked it

Near 3.5 stars. Fascinating history and story of class and race in the S. Well researched, drily told, but maybe no better alternative.

Talk nearly dancing around the issue. This book talks more than about the history surrounding the Free Land than the state itself.

May 25, 2018 Rhuff rated it it was amazing

Victoria Bynum is obviously a professional genealogist, and it's from this perspective that she has "reconstructed" the Costless Country of Jones: its insurgents under Newton Knight, their form background reflecting their attitude to slavery and secession, and the legacy of racism and Lost Cause mythology every bit embodied in this multi-racial family. It certainly is an original social take on these events, introducing a mankind-and-blood human dimension into causes and layers of the Civil War that are usual Victoria Bynum is evidently a professional genealogist, and it's from this perspective that she has "reconstructed" the Free Country of Jones: its insurgents under Newton Knight, their class background reflecting their mental attitude to slavery and secession, and the legacy of racism and Lost Cause mythology as embodied in this multi-racial family. It certainly is an original social take on these events, introducing a flesh-and-blood human dimension into causes and layers of the Civil War that are usually abstracted into politics and ideology. But it becomes a genealogical slog at times, redeemed by my own family ties to the region (Sullivan, Coleman, Yawn). In this mass of item Bynum at times loses sight of the trees for the roots.

For this reason I'd recommend seeing the film starting time for a clearer understanding of Knight, his motives, and the consequences of his deportment. The Jones Canton insurgency rises against non only the platitudes of segregation orthodoxy, as shown in the "race trial" of his groovy-grandson, Davis Knight. It besides challenges the reverse stereotype of redneck racism which sees all poor Southern whites as gap-toothed Dixiecrat lynchers. Knight'south anti-Amalgamated cause and "miscegenation" was, in fact, once offered as proof of such piney forest "backwardness". As a true rebel to the Confederacy and all information technology stood for Knight took his outlaw status into forbidden zones of race, creating a living legacy that shook the social order of Mississippi long later Reconstruction and his death.

Bynum also shows united states of america that the segregationist South was not "natural" nor etched in stone; that it was consciously synthetic and forced into constabulary. Older Mississippians, even into the 1920s, recalled a less totalitarian arroyo to colour lines. It was only through preventing the creation of a "third color" that racial polarity and exploitation could survive. The irony is that Newton Knight's "white Negro" descendants were finally granted honorary whiteness, but as a last-ditch ploy to fight the oncoming avalanche of "real" integration.

If looking for a recreation of the Jones County "secession from secession," this is non quite the book. Just information technology is an intriguing analysis of the deeper context of Knight'due south rebellion, its background and legacy; and an fantabulous safari into unexplored corners of geography and club lost to a world of ambivalent values. Equally Tip O'Neill said, all politics is local.

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Sep 20, 2021 Robert rated it information technology was amazing

I greatly enjoyed this book. Readers should exist aware that this is a micro-history and not an hazard novel. Then, it necessarily involves excavation into i item community and what makes people make the item choices they make. In this case, Victoria Bynum explores the Knight family of the Jones canton in Mississippi. In 1948, there was a miscegenation trial of Davis Knight, a man who had some African American ancestry, and had married a "white" woman, Junie Lee Spradley. This brought t I profoundly enjoyed this book. Readers should be aware that this is a micro-history and not an gamble novel. And so, information technology necessarily involves digging into ane particular customs and what makes people make the particular choices they make. In this example, Victoria Bynum explores the Knight family unit of the Jones canton in Mississippi. In 1948, there was a miscegenation trial of Davis Knight, a man who had some African American ancestry, and had married a "white" woman, Junie Lee Spradley. This brought to the fore questions about the relationships of his ancestors, Newton Knight, a "white" man, and Rachel Knight, a woman of African descent. Newton had, it turns out, both formed a band of deserters and refugees from the Confederate army, and had interracial relationships including with Rachel and possibly her daughter (from another homo) Georgeanne. Further, their children had also had interracial relationships and formed something of a racial island in Jim Crow Mississippi. She does a good job of exploring how this community was formed, its religious and social background that formed how they reacted to the formation of the confederacy and to conscription and also how they reacted to the Reconstruction, the and so-called Redemption (which was the violent white overthrow of the Reconstruction to institute white supremacist governments) and Jim Crow, how they viewed themselves racially, and how they were viewed past social club.

A lot of reviewers here complain that she goes into a lot of unnecessary item, but this is really what makes histories similar this worth reading. They are non just a recounting of adventurous tales, or the stories of heroes (at whatever rate, Newt Knight makes for a rather odd kind of 'hero'), but explorations of why people do what they practise, and how communities function under stress and hostility. Her bibliography is very impressive, both in terms of the primary sources she uncovers and presents, and in terms of the range of secondary literature she brings to bear on this.

Among other things, books similar this show how complicated Southern social club was, and how controversial and ofttimes elitist secession and secession-sympathy was, which should assist dispel the view that secession was about independence from central control which should brand us sympathetic to secessionists: in fact, secessionism and the confederacy oft institute themselves having to violently repress many local communities and their very different racial and social ideas and mores.

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If yous're looking for a clean and straightforward business relationship of what happened in Jones County earlier, during and after the Ceremonious State of war ... well, yous're not going to get it. Bynum'southward too defended to scholarly standards for that, and presents a multi-faceted situation via multiple facets, often comparing and contrasting two or iii different accounts of an event with what the evidence actually supports having happened (this last oft being a pretty scant resource, alas). Probably the cleanest and mos If you're looking for a clean and straightforward account of what happened in Jones County before, during and after the Civil War ... well, yous're non going to get information technology. Bynum'south too dedicated to scholarly standards for that, and presents a multi-faceted state of affairs via multiple facets, oftentimes comparing and contrasting two or iii unlike accounts of an event with what the prove actually supports having happened (this last frequently being a pretty scant resources, alas). Probably the cleanest and most readable sections are actually those which deal with the aftermath of the war, specially the mid 20th century courtroom cases, as those take the best records remaining near them.

Despite those challenges, I plant this a pretty interesting read, as it presented a side of the Civil War near which I previously knew very piffling: that of anti-Confederate southerners.

Fair warning: fully half the page count of the volume is references & bibliography. If y'all're merely here to read what happened, and aren't that worried nearly the scholarly human foot notes that provide all principal sources, and so the book's effectively about 170 pages long.

...more than

May ten, 2017 Patty rated it really liked it

I listened to this as an audio volume. At the showtime that made information technology hard because there were so many people and relationships to go along track of. If I'd take had a paper copy, I'd accept flipped back and forth a lot. Withal, this is a history book not a novel (or even historical fiction) so I don't think I'd have fabricated it through the volume if I was reading and not listening. It is a compelling story about a difficult topic. Information technology gives insight into race bug starting many years prior to the Civil W I listened to this as an sound book. At the start that fabricated it difficult because there were and so many people and relationships to keep rails of. If I'd take had a newspaper copy, I'd have flipped dorsum and along a lot. Nevertheless, this is a history volume not a novel (or even historical fiction) so I don't recollect I'd take made it through the book if I was reading and not listening. It is a compelling story about a difficult topic. It gives insight into race issues starting many years prior to the Ceremonious War through modern times. I'm glad to understand this complex issue better than I did even though it is but 1 more perspective of many. ...more

May 16, 2021 Jason rated information technology information technology was astonishing

Having spent the first three years of my life in Jones Canton, and my grandparents having lived at that place until their deaths, I was fascinated to discover this aspect of the history of a identify that had been such a function of my heritage. Victorian Bynum has done an outstanding job of using the sources available to explore the topics of the loyalist community in Jones County and the evolution of the idea of race in the south. I highly recommend this volume. (I accept not seen the motion picture, and then I tin't address any Having spent the first 3 years of my life in Jones County, and my grandparents having lived there until their deaths, I was fascinated to detect this aspect of the history of a place that had been such a role of my heritage. Victorian Bynum has done an outstanding job of using the sources available to explore the topics of the loyalist community in Jones County and the evolution of the idea of race in the south. I highly recommend this book. (I have not seen the pic, so I tin't address any differences betwixt the volume and the movie. I would imagine, though, that the book is worth reading even if you have seen the flick.) ...more

Having fiddling background on the topic, I plant this very difficult to grasp. Information technology was like reading a history book, where y'all oasis't taken the intro grade yet. Once I started to grasp the timeline and the players, I began enjoying the paradoxes and hierocracy of the people and the legends. This definitely isn't a "fun" or embankment read, but it a very historically accurate and uses proven facts to compare two competing stories of the Free Land of Jones. I would have liked to meet it be a little less logica Having little background on the topic, I found this very hard to grasp. It was like reading a history volume, where you haven't taken the intro class still. Once I started to grasp the timeline and the players, I began enjoying the paradoxes and hierocracy of the people and the legends. This definitely isn't a "fun" or beach read, merely information technology a very historically authentic and uses proven facts to compare two competing stories of the Complimentary State of Jones. I would have liked to encounter it be a little less logically written. It took away from the undoubted unruly and emotional time. ...more

Another part of history non well known

When I started the book I had hoped it would exist based on the movie. I was disappointed to observe the book more of a documentary than a story. I, however, came to savour it as a documentary and history lesson. My mother's maiden proper noun is Knight so I have a personal interest in this ancestry. I am proud to at to the lowest degree by in the Knight name lineage. Newt was a brave man to live by his behavior and convictions. Sadly, he seems to have been vilified and shunned in histor

Another role of history non well known

When I started the book I had hoped it would exist based on the movie. I was disappointed to find the book more of a documentary than a story. I, yet, came to enjoy it as a documentary and history lesson. My mother's maiden name is Knight so I accept a personal involvement in this beginnings. I am proud to at least past in the Knight name lineage. Newt was a brave homo to alive past his beliefs and convictions. Sadly, he seems to take been vilified and shunned in history.

...more

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