In this first critical study of female abolitionists and feminists in the freedmen's aid movement; Carol Faulkner describes these women's radical view of former slaves and the nation's responsibility to them. Moving beyond the image of the Yankee schoolmarm; Women's Radical Reconstruction demonstrates fully the complex and dynamic part played by Northern women in the design; implementation; and administration of Reconstruction policy. This absorbing account illustrates how these activists approached women's rights; the treatment of freed slaves; and the federal government's role in reorganizing Southern life.Like Radical Republicans; black and white women studied here advocated land reform; political and civil rights; and an activist federal government. They worked closely with the military; the Freedmen's Bureau; and Northern aid societies to provide food; clothes; housing; education; and employment to former slaves. These abolitionist-feminists embraced the Freedmen's Bureau; seeing it as both a shield for freedpeople and a vehicle for women's rights. But Faulkner rebuts historians who depict a community united by faith in free labor ideology; describing a movement torn by internal tensions. The author explores how gender conventions undermined women's efforts; as military personnel and many male reformers saw female reformers as encroaching on their territory; threatening their vision of a wage labor economy; and impeding the economic independence of former slaves. She notes the opportunities afforded to some middle-class black women; while also acknowledging the difficult ground they occupied between freed slaves and whites. Through compelling individual examples; she traces how female reformers found their commitment to gender solidarity across racial lines tested in the face of disagreements regarding the benefits of charity and the merits of paid employment.
#748638 in Books University of Pennsylvania Press 2004-02-24Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.02 x .76 x 5.98l; 1.16 #File Name: 0812218892344 pages
Review
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful. The "western front" of the medieval war between Christians and MuslimsBy D. Cloyce SmithJoseph O'Callaghan's wide-ranging yet relatively brief book takes what is often regarded as a parochial subject and makes the case for the "influence of crusading ideology" on "the evolution of the reconquest ("reconquista") from the late eleventh century until the middle of the thirteenth." In other words; the battles in the Spanish frontier after 1050 or so should be--must be--viewed in terms of the Crusades as a whole. Following an introductory chapter; he describes this era chronologically and proceeds to examine the military; financial; and religious aspects of this Spanish Crusade.Whether the battles against the Muslim principalities in southern Iberia are called "reconquista" or "crusade" might seem an argument over semantics; but the focus is much broader: what is important is not what we call the conflicts now but how they were thought of then--and the difference matters a great deal. What is clear from O'Callaghan's book is that Europeans as a whole; and the papacy especially; regarded the Iberian fighting as part of a broader struggle. The reconquest was not a local offensive in the Spanish frontier but (at the risk of oversimplification) the western front of a two-front war. And; from the perspective of Christian contemporaries; it was the successful half of a struggle that; in today's view; failed."Christian success in Spain owed much to papal encouragement;" O'Callaghan concludes; and that support took many pivotal forms: the fulfillment of Crusader's vows granted to those who stayed in or traveled to Spain rather than to the Holy Land; the remission of sins granted to Crusaders; and financial and material aid. Bishops and surrogates preached the taking up of arms for spiritual gain; a cult of martyrdom developed mirroring that in the East; the cross was worn and religious banners were flown--all these elements famous for the eastern crusades were equally prevalent in the west. In fact; the evidence is so persuasive that it is often just as accurate to discuss (as the author does) the significant influence of the Spanish conflict on the characteristics of the crusades in the Holy Land.Although O'Callaghan does not assume that the reader is a specialist; his book is; unapologetically; a monograph and his marshaling of evidence might prove overwhelming for the lay reader. But his prose is jargon-free; and readers with interests in either medieval Spanish history or the Crusades will find here a treasure trove of material that is both relatively unknown and utterly fascinating.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Good ReadBy Te BadaExcellent history of the period; although not actually a detailed military history. It does bring some order to chaos.10 of 11 people found the following review helpful. A great book; but dense.By JB1976Let me start by saying I enjoyed the book and learned many thing from it. The problem with it is it's 'readability.' The writing style is very dense and is quite difficult to 'get in the zone' so to speak with this book. Reading history is probably my primary free time activity. What I am not is a professional historian and so found myself rereading my sentences or paragraphs. A great book for a professional history; and very good for historians like myself!; but if you buy this book; be prepared for the writing style and format.
