To Address You As My Friend

Jonathan W. White is associate professor of American studies at Christopher Newport University and author or editor of several previous books, including Midnight in America: Darkness, Sleep, and Dreams during the Civil War.

Original and gripping. . . . These letters provide telling examples of the ways that Black Americans, free and enslaved, proactively and persistently sought liberty by word and deed and laid claim to the rights and responsibilities of citizenship: a truth as pertinent and pressing in the 21st century as during Lincoln's day. . . . White adds immeasurably to the value of the letters by providing informative historical context and relating the disposition of the letter-writers' requests."—Library Journal"White's selection of letters offers glimpses of what many Blacks hoped for and how they viewed Lincoln—unlike any of his predecessors—as an approachable friend. . . . To Address You as My Friend gives life to the unique connection African Americans felt with Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War."—America's Civil War"White, with an expert editor's touch, has deftly assembled a wonderfully rich and fascinating mosaic of the hopes, dreams, and frustrations of African Americans during the Civil War."—Civil War Monitor"This outstanding volume of Black Americans' letters to Abraham Lincoln, edited by Jonathan W. White, captures the voices of free Blacks and the newly emancipated at a pivotal moment in history...This collection is especially effective in sketching out the story of Black women during the war, the inordinate sacrifices they bore, and their politicization. Women's experiences are captured in great detail."—Journal of Southern History