by Edward a. Miller (Author)
A political biography of the first African American hero of the Civil War
A native of Beaufort, South Carolina, Robert Smalls was born into slavery but--through acts of remarkable courage and determination--became the first African American hero of the Civil War and one of the most influential African American politicians in South Carolina history. In this largely political biography of Smalls's inspirational story, Edward A. Miller, Jr., traces the triumphs and setbacks of the celebrated U.S. congressman and advocate of compulsory, desegregated public education to illustrate how the life and contributions of this singular individual were indicative of the rise and fall of political influence for all African Americans during this rough transitional period in American history.
Author Biography
Edward A. Miller, Jr., received his B.A. in history from the Virginia Military Institute and his M.A. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Denver. He taught military, modern Far East, and American history at the Air Force Academy, directed a Washington policy study organization, and held political appointments on Capitol Hill and at the Pentagon. His other books include The Black Civil War Soldiers of Illinois: The Story of the Twenty-ninth U.S. Colored Infantry and Lincoln's Abolitionist General: The Biography of David Hunter.