From the 1870s to the 1930s, Vickburg routinely had three different Memorial Day observances: one for Confederate veterans; one for white Union veterans; and one for black Union veterans. Confederate Veterans April 26 was designated Confederate Memorial Day in Mississippi. … Continue reading →
The poster above is featured in the online portal for the new Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC). The broadside was issued on July 6, and prominently mentions both Port Hudson and Milliken’s Bend as examples … Continue reading →
In anticipation of my upcoming appearance at Chuck Beard’s ever-popular East Side Storytellin‘ event on Tues. June 7 – the 153rd anniversary of the battle – I thought I’d take this moment to provide a quick run-down on some of … Continue reading →
The fiftieth anniversary of the War Between the States was on the horizon, and Confederate veteran F. T. Roche maintained a vigilant watch for Yankee propaganda. Though one wonders just why he would bother reading a publication like the National … Continue reading →
Kate Shields was the widow of veteran Anderson Shields. In 1910, she testified that she was 68 years old and was born and lived in Claiborne County, Mississippi all her life. “I was born Kate Street,” she said, and both … Continue reading →