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Looking Over Jordan: African Americans and the War

The Civil War began as a means of preserving the Union. But to nearly four million African Americans, it held a much more personal promise. As Northern armies swept south, self-emancipated slaves sought refuge behind Union lines. Determined to claim basic human rights, former slaves turned soldiers helped defeat their oppressors. But the road to freedom would be a rocky one. Despite continued oppression and violence, African Americans worked tirelessly to rebuild families torn apart by slavery, to educate themselves, and to claim their rightful place as American Citizens.

Through in-depth interviews with Civil War scholars, historical reenactments, and moving songs of faith and hope that made life bearable, Looking Over Jordan: African Americans and the War highlights the African American experience in Tennessee during and after the war.


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Tennessee Civil War 150Looking Over Jordan | Tennessee Civil War 150
29:38
Published:
Rating: NR

The Civil War began as a means of preserving the Union. But to nearly four million African


Bonus Videos

Explore Looking Over Jordan even further through these extended interview video clips.


Production Credits

Writer, Producer, Editor
ED JONES

Musical Score
JOE DELMERICO & JOEY HODGE

Associate Producers
CLARENCE E. BALL III
LATONYA TURNER

Narrator
JACKIE WELCH SCHLICHER

Videographers
JIM DeMARCO
MATT EMIGH
PAUL MOJONNIER

Audio Post & Sound Effects
JOE DELMERICO
JOEY HODGE

Soloists
APRIL DELMERICO
ALAN HATCHER
TINA HUTCHINSON
DANN ZEHR

Choral Group
LAKE PROVIDENCE
MISSIONARY BAPTIST
CHURCH CHOIR

Promotions
BRIAN O'NEILL

Tennessee still images Courtesy of
TENNESSEE STATE LIBRARY
AND ARCHIVES

COLLECTION OF THE
TENNESSEE STATE MUSEUM

Additional images Courtesy of
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

Battlefield Re-Enactment Footage
Courtesy of
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

Actors
ALYSSA BURRUS
EVAN SMALLEY
GENE JONES
JAMES RUDOLPH
LATOYA GARDNER
LEON BLANDIN
MAX De'SIR
MAYA ANTOINETTE RILEY
QUINCIE SMALLEY
TAMIKO ROBINSON

Voice Actors
ELLIOTT ROBINSON
as “Louis B. Hughes”

RASHAD "“thaPOET”"
as “J. Sella Martin”

Senior Engineer
DALE BAKER

Artist
SUSIE THIEMONGE

Graphics
BIZ WOODIE

Web Producer
LINDA WEI

Special Thanks to:

LAKE PROVIDENCE
MISSIONARY BAPTIST
CHURCH
lpmbc.org

TENNESSEE AGRICULTURAL
MUSEUM
tnagmuseum.org


Tennessee Civil War 150 is made possible in part by:

TENNESSEE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, THE UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE, TENNESSEE CIVIL WAR NATIONAL HERITAGE AREA,
TENNESSEE CIVIL WAR SESQUICENTENNIAL COMMISSION, and FIRST TENNESSEE FOUNDATION

  Tennessee Department of Education   The University of Tennessee    Tennessee Civil War National Heritage Area    Civil War Sesquicentennial   First Tennessee Foundation