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The Colfax Massacre and Reconstruction LeeAnna Keith. The Colfax Massacre: The Untold Story of Black Power, White Terror and the Death of Reconstruction. New York: Oxford University Press, 2008. xv + 219 pp. $24.00, cloth, ISBN 978-0-19-531026-9. Reviewed by Gilles Vandal Published on H-Law (April, 2009) Commissioned by Michael J. Pfeifer (John Jay College of Criminal Justice, City University of New York) So much has been written on the complicated system was disrupted as thousands of slaves and highly charged subject of Reconstruction that joined the ranks of the Union army. The adjust‐ it is rare that one work stands out to the extent ment of whites in the Red River to the new social, that this book by LeeAnna Keith on the Colfax economic, and political conditions that prevailed Massacre does. From the beginning, Keith argues after the Civil War was at the least uneasy. The sit‐ that, despite the fact that the whites had labeled uation was worsened by the fact that William C. the fght a riot, it was essentially a massacre that Calhoun, the son of Meredith, motivated by politi‐ took the lives of 70 to 165 blacks, of which at least cal ambition, became the local “public enemy 48 were executed several hours after the fght had number one” as he supported the Reconstruction ended. The author not only measures the human policy; the development of freedmen's education; dimension of the bloody events that occurred at and the creation of a parish, named in honor of the courthouse of Colfax on Easter day, April 13, President Ulysses S. Grant, where blacks formed a 1873, but she also reworks old ground to provide large majority of voters and held a majority of lo‐ seminal insight into how this tragic event was cal offices. rooted in the social and political conditions pre‐ In such a context, Keith demonstrates how vi‐ vailing in Grant Parish after the Civil War. olence became rampant in Grant Parish from Keith divides her book into ten chapters that 1868 to 1873. Local emotional tensions were exac‐ explore the compelling story behind this mas‐ erbated by the determination of William Ward, a sacre. To achieve this goal, the study starts with former black sergeant in the Union army and the the development of a plantation economy based commanding officer of the local militia unit, to en‐ on slavery during the 1830s in the Red River area. force the law. In the process, Ward showed little A local elite was formed around Meredith Cal‐ regard for white sensibility. In retaliation, several houn. With the Civil War, the whole plantation Republican leaders were killed by members of lo‐ H-Net Reviews cal white supremacist groups. Following the con‐ then, the trial proved very expensive as federal troversial election of 1872 in Grant Parish, local authorities were compelled to protect black wit‐ whites contested the election of two blacks as nesses. Black women who had witnessed the mas‐ parish judge and sheriff in the spring of 1873. As a sacre delivered poignant testimonies, but to no result, tension developed for weeks in Grant avail. Indeed, as the trial was taking place, whites Parish. A week before the massacre, William Cal‐ had organized all over Louisiana in a White houn was kidnapped by a band of forty whites League that challenged the authority of state and and saved almost by a miracle. Meanwhile, anxi‐ local governments. The case was largely dis‐ ety was building up on both sides as the contest missed by Justice Joseph Bradley. Finally the case slowly degenerated into a fght for control of the of William J. Cruikshank, one of the main ring‐ Colfax courthouse that ended with the massacre. leaders, was brought before the U.S. Supreme Keith describes vividly how local whites, de‐ Court, which dismissed the case on technical termined to fght for white supremacy and led by grounds. The court narrowly defined the power of veterans of the Confederate army, formed compa‐ the federal government in enforcing the Fifteenth nies, with rank and fle, and received significant Amendment in the South. As a result, whites in support from whites in surrounding parishes. Louisiana and in the whole South would be able Meanwhile, militia officers assisted by veterans of to control the black vote after 1876. This brief but black troops organized the defense of the court‐ detailed history of the events leading to the Colfax house. Yet a small cannon provided whites with Massacre is a welcome addition to recent studies. the necessary fre power. As the fght began, Louisiana distinguished itself as being one of the white women and children supported white fght‐ most difficult states to reconstruct. ers by supplying them with food, medical sup‐ Keith’s book is attractively designed and de‐ plies, and ammunition. The black force proved no livers a genuine history of this dramatic event match for the white paramilitary organization. supported by particularly vivid examples. In a Sixty-five blacks took refuge in the courthouse, closely argued text supported by an impressive while others attempted to run into the woods only array of primary and secondary sources, this to be captured or shot. Hours after the fght had book provides a penetrating description, thick ended, white leaders decided to kill some forty- with details, of some hidden aspects of violence in eight blacks they were holding as prisoners. De‐ Reconstruction Louisiana. The writing style is re‐ pending on the account, between 70 and 165 freshingly lively and thoughtful. Keith's book is a blacks were killed during the fght, while the fine achievement that provides an exciting ac‐ whites lost only 3. The Colfax Massacre became count of a dramatic event and flls an important one of the worst events of racial violence in Amer‐ gap. This book shows that it is still possible to ican history. draw general conclusions on Reconstruction his‐ Keith convincingly shows how whites, proud tory from the analysis of one single event. The au‐ of the success of their fght for white supremacy, thor avoids the pitfall of too much generalization did not seek to diminish the number of black vic‐ on Reconstruction history with skill, subtlety, and tims. Federal troops, arriving six days after the insight in fxing the larger implications of the massacre, proceeded to reestablish public order. event under study. This fne monograph repre‐ In the process, ninety-seven coconspirators were sents an important contribution to Reconstruction arrested and charged for the massacre. But the history. authorities chose to prosecute only a handful of ringleaders on thirty-two criminal charges. Even 2 H-Net Reviews If there is additional discussion of this review, you may access it through the network, at https://networks.h-net.org/h-law Citation: Gilles Vandal. Review of Keith, LeeAnna. The Colfax Massacre: The Untold Story of Black Power, White Terror and the Death of Reconstruction. H-Law, H-Net Reviews. April, 2009. URL: https://www.h-net.org/reviews/showrev.php?id=24487 This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. 3.
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