The Record of Murders and Outrages

"Blair has delivered a magnificent contribution to the history of the period that adds to ongoing efforts to peel back the layers of atrocity and denial that enabled white conservatives to overthrow and abandon Reconstruction and distort its history. With American democracy under attack today, many historians have demonstrated a tendency to look abroad for examples of totalitarianism and reactionary violence. The Record of Murders and Outrages makes clear that anyone serious about understanding threats to American freedom and democracy need look no further than our own shores.”—The Journal of Southern History

“Absorbing. . . . [A]n in-depth look at a divisive and deadly period in our history when political calculus too often trumped humanity.”—America’s Civil War

“William A. Blair has uncovered a treasure trove of documentation from the records of the Freedmen’s Bureau. . . . Fake news and alternative realities thrive in an atmosphere where facts are discounted and truth-debased. The proof of what really happened during the turbulent years of Reconstruction lies, in part, in The Record of Murders and Outrages.”—Civil War Times

“Intelligently written.”—Virginia Magazine of History & Biography

“This book will be of interest to both the scholar and the general reader in its coverage of the process by which the Freedmen’s Bureau gathered evidence of violence. Its chapter on Texas provides a good overview of recent scholarship about that topic.”—Southwestern Historical Quarterly

“In this recommended volume, readers will discover the origins of societal attitudes still found in 2021 among some groups of American citizens and their representatives at state and national levels, who remain attached to a vision of an ever-white America and dedicated to effecting legislation designed to perpetuate white supremacy. It is also a record of the pioneering efforts of Americans in the post-Civil War years to try to ensure an inclusive society.”—Journal of America’s Military Past

“Combining valuable, fresh historical details with very compelling story-telling, The Record of Murders and Outrages will prove informative reading for anyone interested in Reconstruction and race relations in post bellum America, and is highly recommended.”—NYMAS Review

“Blair’s concise but powerful book reminds readers of the contingent nature of Reconstruction.”—North Carolina Historical Review

“Attending to the records of Reconstruction and accounting for their impact is necessary—and very much unfinished—work. The Record of Murders and Outrages contributes to that effort powerfully.”—Civil War History

“This book is a gem. Blair offers a deep, engrossing analysis of exactly why and how a specific bit of information, whatever its truth, can fail to gain traction on the ground.”—Stephen Berry, University of Georgia