The ordeal of the reunion A new history of Reconstruction

This marvelously written volume will not be the final word on Reconstruction. Given the divisive interpretations of the meaning of the US post-Appomattox, there may never be a final word. Summers (Univ. of Kentucky) narrates a compelling story, arguing that if Reconstruction is thought to be the fulfillment of the expectations of the war-namely, the preservation of the union-it succeeded. And given that with the issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation the war definitively included the abolition of slavery, Reconstruction succeeded through passage and grudging acceptance of the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments. Providing coverage to the political atrocities and corruption associated with Redemption, the author invites readers to recognize genuine accomplishments by Republican-dominated and military-backed Southern regimes, even as there was unquestionable resistance from Republicans and Democrats alike to fulfilling the promise of equality. Importantly, the book puts Reconstruction into a larger context, including the depression after the 1873 crash, the debates over US expansionism in the aftermath of the Alaska purchase, and the wars against Native Americans that would not end until Wounded Knee. Thoroughly documented and grounded in primary and secondary sources, this is a welcome addition to the literature. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All academic levels/libraries. --Thomas F. Armstrong, Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, UAE

The triumph of the Union Army and the freeing of the slaves after the Civil War are always complicated by the realities of Reconstruction, particularly the failure to protect freed African Americans and the eventual implementation of Jim Crow laws. University of Kentucky historian Summers (A Dangerous Stir) argues that although Reconstruction was a failure for former slaves, it was successful in propping up and reintroducing the federal system into the former Confederate states. His account is a reminder of how difficult this process was, noting how Southern constitutional delegates "did not welcome slavery's end," nor did they, like many others in the post-bellum South, "regret secession." Summers effectively captures the turmoil and frustrations of the era: the strange 1874 battle between candidates for Governor of Arkansas, the rise of white supremacist groups such as the "redeemers" and "White Leagues," and voter intimidation that successfully forced African Americans out of a meaningful role in government. He also shows how economic woes affected Reconstruction's prospects. An arrangement that preserved the Union but damned many to suffering, Summers demonstrates it best when discussing meetings of Union and Confederate veterans: "Reconciliation they welcomed-on their own terms." Illus. (Nov.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.