The Dunning School : Historians, Race, and the Meaning of Reconstruction

From the late nineteenth century until World War I, a group of Columbia University students gathered under the mentorship of the renowned historian William Archibald Dunning (1857–1922). Known as the Dunning School, these students wrote the first generation of state studies on the Reconstruction -- volumes that generally sympathized with white southerners, interpreted radical Reconstruction as a mean-spirited usurpation of federal power, and cast the Republican Party as a coalition of carpetbaggers, freedmen, scalawags, and former Unionists. Edited by the award-winning historian John David Smith and J. Vincent Lowery, The Dunning School focuses on this controversial group of historians and its scholarly output. Despite their methodological limitations and racial bias, the Dunning historians' writings prefigured the sources and questions that later historians of the Reconstruction would utilize and address. Many of their pioneering dissertations remain important to ongoing debates on the broad meaning of the Civil War and Reconstruction and the evolution of American historical scholarship. This groundbreaking collection of original essays offers a fair and critical assessment of the Dunning School that focuses on the group's purpose, the strengths and weaknesses of its constituents, and its legacy. Squaring the past with the present, this important book also explores the evolution of historical interpretations over time and illuminates the ways in which contemporary political, racial, and social questions shape historical analyses. - Publisher. Known As The Dunning School, These Students Wrote The First Generation Of State Studies On The Reconstruction -- Volumes That Generally Sympathized With White Southerners, Interpreted Radical Reconstruction As A Mean-spirited Usurpation Of Federal Power, And Cast The Republican Party As A Coalition Of Carpetbaggers, Freedmen, Scalawags, And Former Unionists. Edited By The Award-winning Historian John David Smith And J. Vincent Lowery, The Dunning School Focuses On This Controversial Group Of Historians And Its Scholarly Output. Despite Their Methodological Limitations And Racial Bias, The Dunning Historians' Writings Prefigured The Sources And Questions That Later Historians Of The Reconstruction Would Utilize And Address. Many Of Their Pioneering Dissertations Remain Important To Ongoing Debates On The Broad Meaning Of The Civil War And Reconstruction And The Evolution Of American Historical Scholarship. This Groundbreaking Collection Of Original Essays Offers A Fair And Critical Assessment Of The Dunning School That Focuses On The Group's Purpose, The Strengths And Weaknesses Of Its Constituents, And Its Legacy. Squaring The Past With The Present, This Important Book Also Explores The Evolution Of Historical Interpretations Over Time And Illuminates The Ways In Which Contemporary Political, Racial, And Social Questions Shape Historical Analyses. -- Book Jacket. Introduction / John David Smith -- John W. Burgess, Godfather Of The Dunning School / Shepherd W. Mckinley -- William Archibald Dunning: Flawed Colossus Of American Letters / James S. Humphreys -- James Wilford Garner And The Dream Of A Two-party South / W. Bland Whitley -- Ulrich B. Phillips: Dunningite Or Phillipsian Sui Generis? / John David Smith -- The Steel Frame Of Walter Lynwood Fleming / Michael W. Fitzgerald -- Ransack Roulhac And Racism: Joseph Grégoire De Roulhac Hamilton And Dunning's Questions Of Institution Building And Jim Crow / John Herbert Roper Sr. -- Paul Leland Haworth: The Black Republican In The Old Chief's Court / J. Vincent Lowery -- Charles W. Ramsdell: Reconstruction And The Affirmation Of A Closed Society / Fred Arthur Bailey -- The Not-so-strange Career Of William Watson Davis's The Civil War And Reconstruction In Florida / Paul Ortiz -- C. Mildred Thompson: A Liberal Among The Dunningites / William Harris Bragg. Edited By John David Smith And J. Vincent Lowery ; Foreword By Eric Foner. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. "From the late nineteenth century until World War I, a group of Columbia University students gathered under the mentorship of the renowned historian William Archibald Dunning (1857--1922). Known as the Dunning School, these students wrote the first generation of state studies on the Reconstruction -- volumes that generally sympathized with white southerners, interpreted radical Reconstruction as a mean-spirited usurpation of federal power, and cast the Republican Party as a coalition of carpetbaggers, freedmen, scalawags, and former Unionists. Edited by the award-winning historian John David Smith and J. Vincent Lowery, The Dunning School focuses on this controversial group of historians and its scholarly output. Despite their methodological limitations and racial bias, the Dunning historians' writings prefigured the sources and questions that later historians of the Reconstruction would utilize and address. Many of their pioneering dissertations remain important to ongoing debates on the broad meaning of the Civil War and Reconstruction and the evolution of American historical scholarship. This groundbreaking collection of original essays offers a fair and critical assessment of the Dunning School that focuses on the group's purpose, the strengths and weaknesses of its constituents, and its legacy. Squaring the past with the present, this important book also explores the evolution of historical interpretations over time and illuminates the ways in which contemporary political, racial, and social questions shape historical analyses"--Publisher's description From the late nineteenth century until World War I, a group of Columbia University students gathered under the mentorship of the renowned historian William Archibald Dunning (1857-1922). Known as the Dunning School, these students wrote the first generation of state studies on the Reconstruction - volumes that generally sympathized with white southerners, interpreted radical Reconstruction as a mean-spirited usurpation of federal power, and cast the Republican Party as a coalition of carpetbaggers, freedmen, scalawags, and former Unionists. This book focuses on this controversial group of historians and its scholarly output. Despite their methodological limitations and racial bias, the Dunning historians' writings prefigured the sources and questions that later historians of the Reconstruction would utilize and address. Many of their pioneering dissertations remain important to ongoing debates on the broad meaning of the Civil War and Reconstruction and the evolution of American historical scholarship. This groundbreaking collection of original essays offers a fair and critical assessment of the Dunning School that focuses on the group's purpose, the strengths and weaknesses of its constituents, and its legacy. Squaring the past with the present, this book also explores the evolution of historical interpretations over time and illuminates the ways in which contemporary political, racial, and social questions shape historical analyses. -- Publisher's description Front cover 1 Copyright 5 Contents 8 Foreword 10 Introduction 14 1. John W. Burgess, Godfather of the Dunning School 62 2. William Archibald Dunning 90 3. James Wilford Garner and the Dream of a Two-Party South 120 4. Ulrich B. Phillips 146 5. The Steel Frame of Walter Lynwood Fleming 170 6. Ransack Roulhac and Racism 192 7. Paul Leland Haworth 216 8. Charles W. Ramsdell 242 9. The Not-So-Strange Career of William Watson Davis's The Civil War and Reconstruction in Florida 268 10. C. Mildred Thompson 294 Acknowledgments 322 Contributors 324 Index 328