“There are No Black Rebels”: rethinking E. P. Thompson’s Legacy for the American Civil War

Abstract

The article addresses the loyalty of slaves to the Union during the American Civil War going beyond two usual statements, either "Lincoln freed the slaves" or "the slaves were freed." In doing so, it discusses how the abolition of slavery was a result of the interaction of two powerful actors, the Republican Party and its leader the US president and the slaves themselves, who claimed to be free by migrating to the Union lines. In a dialogue with E. P. Thompson, the article draws attention to the significance to plebeians and workers of the exclusion of institutional politics and the importance of political history also for black Americans.

Keywords

• e. p. thompson
• american civil war
• slavery