A richly detailed, thought-provoking study of politics in postbellum New Orleans... Breaks new ground and will generate fresh thinking about Reconstruction in New Orleans and the nation. Journal of American History Nystrom takes the reader on the journey from slavery to freedom, emancipation to suffrage then back into a harsh period of disfranchisement by the end of the nineteenth century... ... Read moreHe moves beyond previous revisionist studies on Reconstruction by examining indicators of change by way of those making the decisions. Southern Historian A fascinating and complex story that Nystrom's narrative incisively clarifies to a degree no work before has managed to accomplish. H-CivWar, H-Net Reviews An excellent choice for any collection in U.S. history. Choice Nystrom now adds nuance to these studies by providing a close biographical reading of several New Orleanians as they struggled with questions of secession, occupation, emancipation, racial equality, and political division.
Anthony J. Stanonis American Historical Review This is an important book for understanding postwar urban politics in the largest city in the South. It is deeply researched, splendidly written, and well contextualized within the larger historiography of Reconstruction.
Aaron Astor Register of the Kentucky Historical Society Show Less