Warriors for Liberty - by Jack Dempsey (Hardcover)

About the Book

A landmark study of Michigan's African American community in the American Civil War era hailing the state's only Black fighting unit and leaders like William Dollarson, a self-emancipated man and staffer to a great Union general.

Book Synopsis

Michigan's African Americans played critical roles in winning the Civil War and setting millions of fellow Americans forever free. The 1st Michigan Colored Infantry Regiment, more than 1,500 strong, helped overwhelm their enemies on the battlefield. Alongside the soldiers, civilian Black men and women contributed in previously unrecognized ways to defending and extending human liberty. One such unsung hero, William Dollarson, escaped from brutal slave conditions in Natchez, became a conductor on the Underground Railroad in Detroit, and joined the staff of Michigan's preeminent general in fighting the Confederacy in Maryland and Virginia. This first-ever complete recounting coincides with the 160th anniversary of the Michigan regiment mustering into the U.S. Army. Warriors for Liberty sheds unprecedented light on the heroism, patriotism, and fortitude of Michiganders of African descent during this tumultuous era in American history. Aided by extensive research and fresh scholarship, this volume is a breakthrough study of compelling depth and majesty. Included is a first-person account by victims of the 1863 Detroit riot that spurred greater sacrifice by Michigan's people of color in the cause of saving the Union and of emancipation.

Review Quotes

"Warriors for Liberty is a multifaceted gem that sparkles with both the individual story of the remarkable, formerly enslaved William Dollarson and the collective story of resistance to slavery in antebellum Michigan. It illuminates Dollarson's extraordinary fight against American slavery, which began with his own escape from enslavement, continued as he built a life for himself and his family, and intensified when war came and the elderly man risked his own life and family's security to join the military destruction of slavery by serving as a Union Army cook. Moreover, Warriors for Liberty roots Dollarson's story of conviction and resistance in a rich antebellum history of abolitionism and free Black activism in Michigan."

Chandra Manning, professor of history, Georgetown University, winner of the Avery O. Craven Prize from the Organization of American Historians for the most original book on the Civil War years, and expert on slavery and emancipation

"A marvelous saga of courage, Warriors for Liberty recalls to life the story of William Dollarson, a self-emancipated Black Virginian who rose to become the leader of Detroit's Black community before risking his life by serving in slaveholding Maryland or near Confederate lines while on the staff of General Alpheus S. Williams. Exhaustively researched and extremely well-written."

Douglas R. Egerton, author of Thunder At the Gates: The Black Civil War Regiments That Redeemed America, professor of history, LeMoyne College

"Warriors for Liberty shines a light on the stories of Black Michiganders during the Civil War - stories of immense bravery, heroism, and patriotism that have long been unsung. A valuable resource for researchers, educators, and Michigan history enthusiasts, it is also engaging and inspirational, a chance to glimpse the diverse lives of soldiers, officers, abolitionists, and countless everyday people who risked everything for freedom."

Amy Elliot Bragg, Director of Education & Communications, Historic Elmwood Foundation, and author of Hidden History of Detroit

"Well written and very impressive. Citing sources is very important for historians, and the Michigan Civial War Association has done an excellent job here."

Bryan Cheeseboro of the National Park Service, historian/park ranger for the Civil War Defenses of Washington, DC He is also a reenactor with the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, and a social media leader of the Civil War Historians page on Facebook

"A most compelling story of Black Michiganders, who came from a range of backgrounds to fight for the Union to end the horrific practice of slavery. In Warriors for Liberty, we learn how Blacks who were free and escaped slaves, who volunteered and were drafted, filled the decimated ranks of Michigan and other states to become fierce fighters for freedom, with some 40,000 total perishing in the two years they fought. The book's research reveals how racial hatred reigned in both the Union and the Confederacy, with Black folks fighting this evil on the battlefields of the South and [on] streets of Detroit. It invites us to hear the voices of those soldiers, to understand their plight, and to stand with Black people today and for their ancestors."

Steve Spreitzer, Co-Director, Michigan Roundtable for Diversity & Inclusion