Neither Carpetbaggers nor Scalawags

Historian Richard Bailey puts a focus on the role that black elected officials played in the tumult of Reconstruction, but also paints a stark and vivid portrait of life in those troubled times after the gunfire ended and 'peace' began. In the back of the book, Bailey provides a list of the officeholders, giving their status prior to the Civil War, their age, what office they held, where they were from, and other data. Researchers will find this chart alone a vital and valuable tool.

* The Birmingham News *

Dr. Bailey is to be commended for this fine piece of historical research. It is not only factual but also well-written. Appendix A in the book lists the major black officeholders with such pertinent information as the county they represented, pre-war and post-war status, age, and other facts. Appendix B does the same thing for minor officeholders. Much can be made of this data alone.

Bailey chronicles the oft-misunderstood role that African American officeholders played in postwar Alabama. Historic photos punctuate the account, bringing more life to an already lively history.

* Multicultural Revi