Freedom Was in Sight: A Graphic History of Reconstruction in the Washington, D.C., Region

by Kate Masur, Elizabeth Clarke (illustrator)

The Reconstruction era was born from the tumult and violence of the Civil War and delivered the most powerful changes the United States had seen since its founding. Black Americans in Washington, D.C., and its surrounding region were at the heart of these transformations, bravely working to reunite their families, build their communities, and claim rights long denied them. Meanwhile, in the capital, government leaders struggled to reunite and remake the nation. Famous individuals such as Frederick Douglass and Ida B. Wells played central roles, as did lesser-known figures like Emma Brown, the first African American teacher in Washington's public schools, and lawyer-journalist William Calvin Chase, longtime editor of the Washington Bee. Freedom Was in Sight! draws on the words and experiences of people who lived during Reconstruction, powerfully narrating how the impacts of emancipation and civil war rippled outward for decades. Vividly drawn by award-winning graphic artist Liz Clarke and written by Pulitzer Prize–finalist Kate Masur, a leading historian of Reconstruction, this rich graphic history reveals the hopes and betrayals of a critical period in American history.

Genres: Graphic Novels, History, Nonfiction, American History, Civil War

192 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2024

About the author

Kate Masur is professor of history at Northwestern University. A finalist for the Lincoln Prize, she is the author of Until Justice Be Done: America's First Civil Rights Movement, from the Revolution to Reconstruction and An Example for All the Land: Emancipation and the Struggle over Equality in Washington, D.C.

Reviews

[Raymond · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reconstruction did not occur in the same way in the various states and regions of the South, including the Washington D.C. region, which is the setting of this graphic history. This book tells a story of Reconstruction through the eyes of Black people who were the proponents and advocates of this important era. The authors spotlight regional leaders who are not household names as well as more nationally known figures like Lincoln, Andrew Johnson, Frederick Douglass, and Ida B. Wells. I enjoyed learning about the region where I live. I liked the fact that even though the national political scene is a crucial part of this story as a backdrop, the authors highlight how these Black stories are happening simultaneously as these big debates are happening in the halls of power.

Don’t stop reading this book when the visual story ends. The end matter of this book was very informative. It contains a historical overview of Reconstruction, a timeline, primary sources cited in the graphic history, and a section on further reading. I especially enjoyed reading Frederick Douglass’s 1894 speech at the grand opening of the Manassas Industrial School and sources in the Further Reading section.

[Mohan Vemulapalli · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Freedom Was in Sight!" is an engaging and skillfully written graphic history that provides a modern and up to date analysis of the Reconstruction era in American History. Focusing on events in the District of Columbia and a few other key sites on the Eastern seaboard this book maintains a tight focus on the development of Black communities and institutions after the Civil War until approximately 1900. The illustrated format makes the core information of the book easy to absorb. The value of the book is augmented by the inclusion of several essays, a comprehensive timeline and several other useful materials. Of particular note is the set of curated primary sources that allow beginning students to read personal accounts of the aftermath of slavery and the Civil War. Finally, this book is written at a level that should be accessible to most middle school students, but the depth and quality of the writing and research behind it ensure that is will be useful for more advanced students up to at least the beginning University level, not just as an historical account but also as an introduction to the study and writing of history.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, University of North Carolina Press, for providing me with an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

[TheDiversePhDReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kate Masur’s “Freedom Was in Sight: A Graphic History of Reconstruction in the Washington, D.C., Region” is a remarkable history text in graphic novel format. It delves into key pivotal moments of the Civil War and Reconstruction era, a critical period in American history. Masur's engaging storytelling brings to life the struggles and triumphs of African Americans fighting for their freedom and rights. This was a meticulously researched book and would be a great way to introduce a topic of historical significance to schools. I think presenting nonfiction works in a variety of formats appeals to a wider range of readers especially the younger generations. The artwork (Liz Clarke, illustrator) itself is both vivid and evocative, capturing the emotional intensity and the significance of the period. Through these powerful visuals and poignant narrative, this graphic novel provides a nuanced exploration of the complexities of freedom, resistance, and justice. It's a must-read for anyone interested in American history and the ongoing struggle for civil rights of black people in this country.

Thank you to #NetGalley, the author Kate Masur and the University of North Carolina Press - Ferris and Ferris Books for a digital copy of the graphic novel #FreedomWasinSight in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Viral · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really solid graphic novel about Reconstruction in the D.C. region, focusing on how newly freeded folk tried to build the foundations of a multiracial democracy in DC but faced extreme white supremacist backlash. It was informative and a useful resource for younger folks, but I felt it didn't take full advantage of being a graphic novel. One of the upsides of the visualizations is you can really make the reader feel like they're with the characters living the story, which is just the historical truth in this case. But this book didn't embrace that as much as other historical graphic novels I've seen before - most of the text felt like it was just a plain book. Still a great resource and one I'm glad to have read - I did not know that DC was on track for statehood but it's fledgling local govt was destroyed by white supremacist business leaders who would rather live without representation than let Black people represent them.

[Esther Filbrun · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars

I’ve discovered that I love learning history in graphic form, so when I saw that this book was coming out, I was thrilled to have the chance to get to read it. I haven’t read a whole lot about the Reconstruction era just after the Civil War, so I found this read fascinating—especially considering the later Civil Rights Movement and everything else that followed.

Unfortunately, this book ultimately wasn’t for me, which makes me sad, because I really appreciated the history this book tells—it isn’t a topic that’s covered much. But I can’t entirely agree with parts of the worldview presented here. I absolutely agree that we need to treat everyone equally, but I don’t believe it’s right to put one group of people down in order to raise another group up. We all make mistakes, and we are not healthy as a society if we don’t acknowledge them. But there is also a time to move on and try to do better, leaving history as history.

As far as the artwork and storytelling style, I loved it. I felt it was difficult to keep track of all the historical characters represented in the story—I frequently flipped back to try to remember who this or that person was, so it felt like I spent some time jumping around between different people’s stories. Ultimately, this is a story of faith, hope, perseverance, and determination—and people who wouldn’t take “no” as an answer. I enjoyed the historical side of the story, and loved learning about the many courageous individuals whom I’ve never heard of before. I’m just sorry I couldn’t agree with all the conclusions this book came to, which brought my overall rating down.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book, and this is my honest opinion of it.

[Blake · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an important book about an important subject - the development of black society after the Civil War - The Reconstruction Period. The important message I was able to glean from this was how the black people were able to organize and lift up their people by working hard and taking advantage of the new freedom. I hadn't realized all that was achieved, and lost starting with the Jim Crow period, in this period. It almost seemed like a utopia (if it weren't for the hatred and obstructionism of the white southern conservatives. A hatred and racism that was not necessarily confined to the south.

The problem I have with the book is that it is too simply dry. It seems to be a piecemeal conglomeration of facts and events. There is very little narrative in it. Especially in the graphic portion. There is a text section (A Brief Overview) that does give some more detail and is more interesting, but still a bit on the dry side.

If the graphic portion is meant for those who are reluctant to read, I question how successful it is in getting these reluctant readers invested in the book. And while the graphics are nice and well crafted, they look a little too conventional for my tastes. I guess that's because I read a lot of Graphic novels, fictions in which artists are able and wanting to produce more dynamic and inventive illustrations.

I wonder, since I think the text is better written portion of this book, it this book would have been better as a highly illustrated historical text, instead of focusing on the comic book aspect of it. Or perhaps the authors could have focused in on an event or two, get really granular, and make it a more interesting text to read.

This is an important time and story in history and one well worth knowing and understanding. I just wish it had been more interesting.

[Dakota Morgan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Freedom Was in Sight has all the hallmarks of when academics think the best way to "engage the youths" is going to be through the graphic format. Meaning: 50 pages of storytelling via stilted graphic action bookended by dense essays that relate essentially the same material as the drawn stuff.

Fortunately, the authors have a decently interesting story to tell as they explore at a human level how Reconstruction affected the people in the Washington DC region. There's plenty to unpack, including how Reconstruction might have lasted longer than most think. Ultimately, I learned a great deal, and it was especially revelatory to see a Black-centered story, one that showcased how much work Black folks did for themselves, both before and after the Civil War. For example: numerous towns founded on principles of education and community aid.

There's a sad ending, of course, as Jim Crow races onto the scene and douses much of the progress being made. I ultimately appreciated the essays more than the illustrated material, but even the illustrated stuff wasn't as bad as it could have been. The whole thing is decently engaging, even if you only really need to read the introduction, middle, or end papers.

[Philip McCarty · Rating 4 out of 5]

A 3.5. This book works very well as a teaching guide for the Reconstruction period. The actual graphic history part is only about 90 pages out of the 163 in the book. It does a great job covering the years of Reconstruction, with great specific examples for the D.C. Region. The artwork was well done and conveyed the emotions of the historical moments and brought the period to life. The amount of words on each page showed that this truly was a graphic history, and I feel it would be fantastic for classrooms and discussion.

Parts of note:
- The Organic Act of 1878 (basically D.C. was run by an unelected 3 person commission for nearly 100 years and citizens of the city couldn't vote)
-Storer College and Lincoln Hall being a big tourist spot
-The creation of industrial schools
-Combatting the racism of the women's rights movement
-A freedom seeker who was held in prison, visited by her owner, and then allowed to go free
-Creation of many Black communities, such as Sugarland in MoCo
-A lynching in Frederick county

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am very excited to see this piece of research on the post-Civil War and long Reconstruction era. It's a very complex period of American history, with significant change, that's generally less understood or familiar than the Civil War itself. Freedom Was in Sight is a graphic novel-style history that captures the change, challenges, and possibilities of this era, in a way that I hope will be engaging for readers.

While the art is gorgeous, I found the graphic novel a difficult format to navigate in this particular book. The narrative quickly shifts between principal figures and jumps around through time in a non-linear fashion. I appreciate that this format allows readers to cover a lot of ground quickly, but I had trouble following it.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Chad · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delves into personal accounts of African Americans mainly during Reconstruction. I think this is an important reminder of history and the struggles this country has dealt with throughout its history. For every two steps forward we take, there always seems to be one step backward. Its amazing, some of the progress we made as a society immediately following the Civil War while at the same time still managing to be very racist at the same time. It's a struggle we have to continue to fight for every day so that everyone in this country can truly be equal. These true stories were inspiring.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fantastic historically accurate graphic novel. It tells the story of Black Americans during The Reconstruction era in the Washington D.C. area. While we are introduced to well known figures at the time, we also meet Emma Brown, the first African American teacher in Washington's public schools, and William Calvin Chase, longtime editor of the Washington Bee.

Thank you NetGalley and University of North Carolina Press | Ferris and Ferris Books for an advanced copy.

[Blaque Ace · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked it! It was amazing learning about this overlooked pivotal moment in Black American history and the people who led the charge towards freedom. I just wish some parts had been executed better but overall, it's a marvelous read. Would definitely recommend. Thanks to Netgalley and the author for an advanced copy.

[Jessica Nish · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good thing this book did was show that there wasn’t a clear definitive end to reconstruction. Yes some things did roll back but in other ways there continued to be advancement and resistance. I think it can be easy to assume that timelines have simple cut offs and can be defined by specific terms but I don’t know if that’s fully true anymore.

[Julie Greene · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't read many graphic novels, but a reading challenge I participate in had this as a category to fill. Knowing Kate Masur's other work, I figured this would be a terrific read. And I was right. It's beautifully written, very much engaged with the best and most recent historical work on reconstruction. Masur and Liz Clarke do a wonderful job keeping African Americans at the center of the story, even as they don't shy away from covering white racism and violence. But overall they tell an inspiring story, one of new beginnings, activism, and fights for social justice. After the graphic novel the book then offers a lengthy text that provides info about the countryside around Washington DC. I learned a lot from this book and enjoyed the process immensely.

[Tracie Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review coming

[Griffin Adamson · Rating 3 out of 5]

While not terrible, 2 stars may be a little harsh, I’m simply wondering why this was a graphic novel and not a 2 chapter text. At first I thought, “oh it’s just so kids can better understand Reconstruction, and a graphic novel is easier to read” but honestly the text was pretty dense and tackled difficult subject matter like lynching, which isn’t exactly a topic for 2nd graders. Also, the preface and ending are very long and dense in their complexity and basically amounted to a telling of the story but without graphics.
Why was that not the whole book? I don’t know.
I am bumping it up a star to 3, because it was not that offensive, but as a fan of comic books and graphic novels, it did not need to be one.