An absorbing account of the rise of a slave to freedom, business success, and high community standing in Natchez—all before 1850. In his diary, letters, and business records, the remarkable William Johnson portrays his family life, recreations, and his friendships with people of both races. The book also describes his wanton murder and the trials of the man who shot him.
Edwin A. Davis was the head of the Louisiana State University Department of Archives. He graduated from Kansas State Teachers College and received his advanced degrees at the State University of Iowa and LSU.
William Ransom Hogan (1908-1971), a graduate of Trinity University, received his advanced degrees from the Univeristy of Texas. He was formerly head of the Department of Archives at LSU and served during World War II as a captain in military intelligence. He was a professor at Tulane University from 1947 until his death and served for many years as chairman of the history department. In 1946 Hogan published his influential The Texas Republic: A Social and Economic History, an authoritative account of early Texas history and a standard source of information on the republic.
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