An engraving of the all-black 55th Regiment marching into Charleston, South Carolina, in 1865 © Boston Globe
Quentin Davis will present the memoirs of her great-grandfather, Norwood Penrose Hallowell, who was one of the “Fighting Quakers” that served with the “colored regiments” in the Union Army during the “Civil War”, or War of the Slaveowners’ Rebellion, as Hallowell called it. The presentation will include additional material about the black soldiers.
The book, Black Soldiers in the War of the Slaveowners’ Rebellion, is composed of selected letters and papers of Norwood Penrose Hallowell, one of the “Fighting Quakers,” a very active Abolitionist. The Hallowell brothers — “Fighting Quakers”. Though they were avowed pacifists, ending slavery was so important to Hallowell and his brothers that they joined the Army despite the disapproval of their Quaker Meeting group (though the Meeting never expelled them). Norwood Hallowell was so respected by Massachusetts Governor John Andrews, that for a time he was appointed to the command of the newly formed 54th, the first all-Black Regiment. He admired his men greatly and most of the book is
about them.
The Brace Brigade is named in honor of Peter Brace, who was a Black soldier in the Massachusetts 54th Colored Troop. Peter Brace was descended from Jeffrey Brace, who fought for the Continental Army of the American Revolutionary War – while still a slave. He earned his freedom for his service in the War and settled in Vermont, a newly formed state and the first to outlaw slavery. The Brace family is represented in the current generation of reenactors.
About the book:
“The essays and letters … offer a passionate portrayal of the Black soldier in the Civil War – the war of the slaveowners’ rebellion – as a champion of his own fight for emancipation. In reading Hallowell one more fully appreciates that the former slaves were not the ‘leaves’ of history blown by winds beyond their control, but were self-conscious elements in their own fight.” – Bill Fletcher, Jr., co-author “Solidarity Divided” & immediate past president of TransAfrica The Forum.
About Quentin Davis:
Ms. Davis was New England Regional Secretary, SDS, 1965-66; President, NICE Day Care; Board Member, Davis-Putter Scholarship Fund, 1960-2011. Great granddaughter of Norwood P. Hallowell.
My great grandfather owned 83 slaves in Opp, Al. This was considered a ‘middle-class’ plantation. And the home, still standing, without all the grounds, looks like an ordinary middle class home. Iunderstand that, without police in Reconstruction South, the slaveowners banded together and formed the KKK to preserve law and order. This degenerated to the spectacle of ONLY enforcing justice on black people and never white violence on blacks.
I will be very interested in this talk. I have more info on my Mayflower ancestors here in Ma, but I would love to get more info on the Copelands in South Alabama before the Civil War.