New Books in History Robert D. Bland, "Requiem for Reconstruction: Black Countermemory and the Legacy of the Lowcountry's Lost Political Generation" (UNC Press, 2026)
Jan 12, 2026
Robert D. Bland, an Assistant Professor of History and Africana Studies, discusses his book focused on the pivotal Reconstruction era in South Carolina’s Lowcountry. He highlights the resilience of Black leaders like Robert Smalls and William Whipper, who navigated a landscape filled with challenges. Bland explores the significance of Black newspapers in shaping counternarratives, the impact of the 1876 election, and the racial origins of gerrymandering. His insights prompt a reflection on how these historical echoes resonate in contemporary America.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Lowcountry As Reconstruction's Epicenter
- The Lowcountry served as Reconstruction's political and cultural epicenter where Black leaders saw racial destiny realized.
- Robert D. Bland frames a "Reconstruction generation" (born ~1840–1870) whose political consciousness was formed by Reconstruction.
Benjamin Randolph's Assassination And Memory
- Benjamin Randolph, an Oberlin-educated minister, became a Reconstruction leader in South Carolina before being assassinated in 1868.
- His funeral mobilized memorial practices and national Black press coverage that shaped Reconstruction countermemory.
Reconstruction Mirrors The Present
- Bland links Reconstruction memory to contemporary politics and warns history can move backward.
- He shows scholars repeatedly use Reconstruction to explain present struggles and reimagine future "reconstructions."
