Free state of jones county book

Free state of jones the movie was partly inspired by the. Jones county is a county located in the southeast portion of the u. The story of the jones between late 1863 and mid1864, an armed band of confederate deserters battled confederate cavalry in the piney woods region of jones county, mississippi. The free state of jones the free state of jones is one of the most gripping history books published in recent years. Free state of jones tells the story of a knightled rebellion against the confederacy in jones county, mississippi, whereby the county allegedly seceded and declared itself a free state. To deal with the jones county rebellion, confederate authorities dispatched two cavalry. Directed by fourtime oscar r nominee gary ross and starring oscar r winner matthew mcconaughey, free state of jones is an epic actiondrama set during the civil war, and tells the story of. History of the free state of jones welcome to the new. Jones county was an island of poverty in a sea of cottonandslave based wealth. The story of the jones county rebellion is well known among mississippians, and debate over whether the county actually seceded from the state during the war has smoldered for more than a century. Several books have been written about him and jones county, and the 1948 movie tap roots was loosely based on his experiences.

Jun 20, 2016 in 1862, when free state of jones begins, newton knight is just an anonymous battleweary medical nurse, up to his elbows in carnage, who ducks out of combat to take the corpse of a young. Still, the free state of jones is an antiwar film with a commie message that still glamorizes southern pride, hard work and the good book. In legend of the free state of jones, the first book on its subject to be. Free state of jones, the film directed by gary ross, powerfully and movingly recounts a significant episode of the american civil war, the insurrection against the. The book, which was published in 2001, has more recently been made into a film starring matthew mcconaughey, mahershala ali, gugu mbatharaw, and keri russell. Between late 1863 and mid1864, an armed band of confederate deserters battled confederate cavalry in the piney woods region of jones county, mississippi. Free state of jones tells the story of newton knight matthew mcconaughey, a truetolife, nonslaveholding farmer from jones county, mississippi, who deserts from the confederate army, disgusted at the senseless brutality and the increasing pressure on poor men to fight a war that served the interests of wealthy slaveholders. Newton knight, a mississippi farmer serving in the confederate army, decided he wanted no part of any of it the war, the confederacy, or the planter economy. Mississippis longest war, tells the story of the deserters and their community in jones county, mississippione that outlasted the civil war and established a mixedrace community in the region. A disillusioned confederate army deserter returns to mississippi and leads a militia of fellow deserters and women in an uprising against the corrupt local confederate government. Bynum believes that knight did not necessarily enlist out of fear of conscription but rather because he just wanted to be a soldier. With matthew mcconaughey, gugu mbatharaw, mahershala ali, keri russell. The free state of jones is writerdirector gary rosss retelling of the guerilla war fought in the heart of the deep south by a prounion, antislavery, confederate army deserter named newton knight its based largely on sally jenkinss and john stauffers research, which they eventually published in the excellent book the state of jones. Presentism, introducing presentday ideas and perspectives into depictions or interpretations of the past, can infect the best efforts of moviemakers as well as historians.

Newton knight, a white mississippi farmer, led armed opposition to the confederacy during the u. After the fall of vicksburg in july 1863, many confederate soldiers deserted and returned to jones county. However, you do not have to lose one to embrace the other. The new state of jones rests upon the notion that there exists an old state of jones. Jun 17, 2016 the jones county insurrectionists were neither abolitionists nor southern yankees, says victoria bynum, who wrote the 2001 book the free state of jones. Before reading this book about the county of jones mississippi i thought i was. In bridging the gap between the legendary and the real free state of jones, she shows how the. By 1860, slaves made up only 12 percent of the total population in jones county, the smallest percentage of any county in the state. In the end, the film free state of jones was not based on the book the free state of jones, but the book was used as a major resource, with bynum credited as a consultant. So go ahead and dedicate 9 minutes of your life to the free state of jones. Project muse the free state of jones, movie edition.

The nature and extent of the knight companys opposition to the confederate government is disputed among historians. Victoria bynum traces the origins and legacy of the jones county uprising from the american revolution to. Courtesy library of congress, prints and photographs. I came to jones county having read some good books about its history, and knowing very little about its presentday reality. Free state of jones is a 2016 american historical period war film inspired by the life of newton knight and his armed revolt against the confederacy in jones county, mississippi, throughout the american civil war. Colonel lowrys confederate raid on jones county pp. Oct 02, 2019 newton knight, a white mississippi farmer, led armed opposition to the confederacy during the u. His greatgrandfather had been capn newt knight, who deserted the confederate army and set up the free state of jones in jones county. If victoria bynums the free state of jones is a benchmark for the films veracity, it gets high marks in many ways. Gary ross free state of jones is based on one of the most fascinating true stories of the civil war. In the new film free state of jones, matthew mcconaughey plays confederate soldier newton knight, and depending on whom you ask, knight was either a hero or a traitor. These issues are the subject of an internet debate that began when victoria bynum, a texas state history professor and author of the wellresearched 2001 book the. Exploring the free state of jones and finding a grave. The old county seat, and ground zero for the free state of jones, is ellisville, now a pleasant, leafy town of 4,500 people.

Rosss mythdebunking is propelled by an ideal true story. Some of his men were captured and executed and, as in the movie, the women in their family cut them down. Mississippis longest civil war history vs hollywood, movie, book, audio book. Jul 14, 2016 free state of jones tells the story of newton knight matthew mcconaughey, a truetolife, nonslaveholding farmer from jones county, mississippi, who deserts from the confederate army, disgusted at the senseless brutality and the increasing pressure on poor men to fight a war that served the interests of wealthy slaveholders.

Aug 16, 2009 these issues are the subject of an internet debate that began when victoria bynum, a texas state history professor and author of the wellresearched 2001 book the free state of jones, wrote. Newt knight was a man who defied social rules by deserting from the confederacy, hiding in the swamp with runaway slaves and other deserters to fight the rebels and declare jones county, mississippi as the free state of jones. Written and directed by gary ross, the film stars matthew mcconaughey, gugu mbatharaw, mahershala ali, and keri russell. The popular movie free state of jones starring matthew mcconaughey as newton knight, a nonslave owner, who deserts from the confederate army and leads a biracial guerilla band hiding in the swamps has excited a great deal of interest. Free state of jones, stx entertainment, 9 minutes, 2016. Jun 05, 2016 in the new film free state of jones, matthew mcconaughey plays confederate soldier newton knight, and depending on whom you ask, knight was either a hero or a traitor. However, the yeoman farmers and cattle herders of jones county had little use for a war over a state s right to maintain the institution of slavery. This book also raises the issues of race and class before and since the reconstruction era in the south. Bynums book, which was supported by an neh grant, brought this history to a national audience. Free state of jones the movie was partly inspired by the free.

How accurate is the new movie about the free state of jones. Newton knight was an american farmer, soldier and southern unionist in mississippi, best known as the leader of the knight company, a band of confederate army deserters who resisted the confederacy during the civil war. The new civil war film free state of jones, starring matthew mcconaughey and gugu mbatharaw, is richly researched, but its flat assemblage of history strips out the storys texture and. For a period, however, it seemed that rosss researchwhich involved reading 40 to 50 books, he sayswould not result in a film.

The free state of jones true story reveals that newton knight enlisted in the army in the early fall of 1861. Browse the amazon editors picks for the best books of 2019, featuring our. Free state of jones office of the university registrar. Jul 27, 2016 free state of jones is an epic drama set during the american civil war and tells the story of defiant southern farmer, newt knight academy awardwinner matthew mcconaughey, and his. The company, led by newton knight, formed a separate government, with unionist leanings, known as the free state of jones. The true story of the free state of jones history smithsonian. The free state of jones literary works of victoria bynum. A restless, some may say rebellious, spirit stirs from the first generations who settled in jones county near ellisville and seceded from the confederacy to create the free state of jones. It tells of a rebellion against the confederacy led by an angry farmer named newton knight, whose ragtag army of poor whites and escaped slaves declared a portion of southeastern mississippi, including jones county, independent and loyal to the union. In this moment, i began dimly to perceive that the. This conversation took place online, october 25, 2001. Bynum, professor of history at southwest texas state university in san marcos, about her book, the free state of jones. Downtown has some old brick buildings with wroughtiron balconies. History of the free state of jones laurel and jones county.

To ask other readers questions about the free state of jones, please sign up. Fifteen years earlier my interest in the legend had been piqued by a civil war history textbook which noted that confederate disaffection ran so deep in jones county, mississippi, that during the civil war the county had allegedly seceded from the state and. Bynum has since given talks on newton knight and the free state of jones at universities, museums, public libraries, and a local lions club and private boys school. Jun 23, 2016 his greatgrandfather had been capn newt knight, who deserted the confederate army and set up the free state of jones in jones county. Less than a decade after mississippi became the countrys 20th state, settlers organized. Adding further controversy to the legend is the story of newt knights interracial romance with his wartime accomplice, rachel, a slave. Newton knight and the legend of the free state of jones. The jones county insurrectionists were neither abolitionists nor southern yankees, says victoria bynum, who wrote the 2001 book the free state of jones. Jul 12, 2016 director gary rosss free state of jones, however, which depicts the origins and aftermath of newton knights bigender and biracial anticonfederate insurgency in jones county, mississippi, might be the first to properly and historically situate reconstruction in full relation to the war itself, serving as a vigorous repudiation of lost. However, the yeoman farmers and cattle herders of jones county had little use for a war over a states right to maintain the institution of slavery.

Between late 1863 and mid1864, an armed band of confederat. Covering the same ground as the major motion picture the free state of jones, starring matthew mcconaughey, this is the extraordinary true story of the antislavery southern farmer who brought together poor whites, army deserters and runaway slaves to fight the confederacy in deepest mississippi. The story of the free state of jones in the state of mississippi which lead an insurrection against the confederacy during the us civil war. In 1862, when free state of jones begins, newton knight is just an anonymous battleweary medical nurse, up to his elbows in carnage, who ducks out of combat to take the corpse of a. First and foremost, it describes the social conditions of the county s yeoman farmers accurately. Free state of jones film free state of jones is a 2016 american historical period war film inspired by the life of newton knight and his armed revolt against the confederacy in jones county, mississippi, throughout the american civil war. Civil war, creating the free state of jones, a county that supported the union in the war. When i began researching the legend of the free state of jones ten years ago, i had little sense of the journey i was about to undertake. The latest episode is an epic by director gary ross, free state of jones, starring matthew mcconaughey as the films hero, newt knight. On october, 1863, a band of deserters from jones county and adjacent counties organized to protect the area from confederate authorities and the crippling tax collections. Local legends tell of knight and his men forming the free state of jones in the area in and around jones county, mississippi, at the height of the war. Although authors sally jenkins and john stauffer labor mightily in the state of jones to make the case for newt knight and jones county as emblems of enlightened insurrection within.