For a period, however, it seemed that rosss researchwhich involved reading 40 to 50 books, he sayswould not result in a film. Overall, the book offers an impartial look at the historical complexities that make up the southeastern piney woods section of mississippi, how they have affected its people to this day, and how a large cast of characters are influenced by the vagaries of culture. Two sides of the life and activities of captain newt knight thomas jefferson knight, ethel knight, jim kelly on. Jenkins and stauffer dug deep into state and military records to spin this fascinating yarn, and their bibliography is augmented by extensive and intriguing notes. 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. This book surveys the facts, the records, and the history of the free state of jones and may provide the whole story.
This book covers the tactics of both the union and confederate armies and the guerrilla war conducted behind the lines by the racially integrated battalions of the free men of jones and is an excellent introduction to the story. Crichton supplies a personal afterword and two appendices that link the fictional part of the. The state of jones is a true story about the south during the civil war, the real south. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Main idea and theme can be some of the most difficult topics to teach my first graders, so i thought i would share some of my favorite picture books i use to teach these skills in my classroom. Presentism, introducing presentday ideas and perspectives into depictions or interpretations of the past, can infect the best efforts of moviemakers as well as historians. Mar 23, 2020 the live dog, its tail wagging, is the story of joness own life his single mother is a trailblazing state prosecutor and his acute, goodnatured and often funny impressions about life. 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. You can book a study room for up to 2 hours per day. The true story of the free state of jones smithsonian.
Subject of the upcoming film free state of jones, this book provides recollections of the man who took on the confederacy during the civil war and established the liberated. 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. Although joness farmers could never have duplicated the realm of the vastly more fertile plantation belt, they did build a world similarly divided between white freeholders and black slaves. In bridging the gap between the legendary and the real free state of jones, she shows how the legendwhat. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. State of impact book 9 of the bestselling virgil jones mystery thriller series will be available may of 2020. Not the south that has been mythologized in novels and movies, but an authentic, hardscrabble place where poor men were forced to fight a rich mans war for slavery and cotton.
The live dog, its tail wagging, is the story of jones s own life his single mother is a trailblazing state prosecutor and his acute, goodnatured and often funny impressions about life. The debate over global warming serves as the backdrop for the book. Newton knight november 10, 1829 february 16, 1922 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 state of jones is a great book based on the civil war contributions of newton knight and his band of men that ditched the confederate civil war effort in a small mississippi county. Yet mcconaughey has become so skilled at portraying sinewy. 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. Legend of the free state of jones was the first authoritative explanation of just what did happen in jones county in 1864 to give rise to the legend and now to a major motion picture starring matthew mcconaughey. New york times bestselling author sally jenkins and distinguish. Bynum believes that knight did not necessarily enlist out of fear of conscription but rather because he just wanted to be a soldier. Jul 14, 2016 i read the book the free state of jones and saw the movie. Select a date in the calendar and then a time for the room you would like to book.
Banding together with other small farmers and local slaves, knight launched an uprising that led jones county, mississippi to secede from the confederacy, creating a free state of jones. 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. Aug 15, 2019 matt jones, a prominent liberal sports radio host from kentucky who has flirted with a senate run, is writing a book about senate majority leader mitch mcconnell, he said in an interview this week. Visit our website to learn more about arkansas state university and how we can help you achieve your dreams. Subject of the upcoming film free state of jones, this book provides recollections of the man who took on the confederacy during the civil war and established. Free state of jones, stx entertainment, 9 minutes, 2016. Free state of jones is based on a great story about newton knight and shows us in pretty great away how powerful can be mans will to fight and stand for something, in this case freedom and rebellion against powerful guys that want to play by their rules. Jun 20, 2016 in free state of jones, his newton knight is a figure of enlightened valor who has left any shades of moral ambiguity behind.
Free state of jones the movie was partly inspired by the free. T he american civil war has been combed over in popular culture countless times, but the true story that inspired the new film free state of jones, out friday, may still surprise some viewers. Free state of jones begins on the battlefield, with a flurry of the kind of immersive combat action that has long been a staple of american movies. It assumed legendary status among some county residents and civil war historians, culminating in the release of a 2016 feature film, free state of jones.
A confederate dissident, in a film with footnotes the. Newton knight, petition to governor william sharkey, july 15, 1865. Between late 1863 and mid1864, an armed band of confederat. The state of jones by sally jenkins, john stauffer.
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. For this cause alone we have been treated as savages instead of freeman by the rebel authorities. Calling themselves the knight company after their captain, newton knight, they set up headquarters in the swamps of the leaf river, where, legend has it, they declared the free state of jones. The grandson of a wealthy mississippi slaveowner, newton knight was an abolitionist and twotime rebel deserter who actively fought against. The true story of the free state of jones history smithsonian. 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. The state of jones is a true story about the south during the civil warthe real south, an authentic, hardscrabble place where poor men were forced to fight a rich mans war for slavery and cotton. Jones county is part of the laurel, ms micropolitan statistical area.
The yearbook bridges the gap between science and policy with national and state by state data on the wellbeing of americas babies. Adding further controversy to the legend is the story of newt knights interracial romance with his wartime accomplice, rachel, a slave. 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. Jan 09, 2016 free state of jones is an epic actiondrama set during the civil war, and tells the story of defiant southern farmer, newt knight, and his extraordinary armed rebellion against the confederacy. You can find information about admissions, our history, community, and our student population. We stood firm to the union when secession swept as an avalanche over the state. They complain that there is too much interracial friendship and romance in the film. Free state of jones, and my own book not only denies the importance of class to relations between nonslaveholders and slaves, it is thoroughly malecentered. A true story of defiance during the american civil war by victoria e. The state of jones is a true story about the south during the civil warthe real. Matthew mcconaughey thought the free state of jones script was the most exciting civil war story he had ever read, and knew immediately that he wanted to play newt knight. Jun 24, 2016 free state of jones hit theaters on june 24, and matthew mcconaughey takes on a civil war hero. New york times bestselling author sally jenkins and distinguished harvard professor john stauffer mine a nearly forgotten piece of civil war history and strike gold in this surprising account of the.
The free state of jones literary works of victoria bynum. Local legends tell of knight and his men forming the free state of jones in the area in and around jones. Written and directed by gary ross, the film stars matthew mcconaughey, gugu mbatharaw, mahershala ali, and keri russell. Book a study room book a study room state library of new. Dfps child protective services cps data and statistics.
Knight continued his struggle into reconstruction, distinguishing him as a compelling, if controversial, figure of defiance long beyond the war. Stauffer and sally jenkins published the state of jones, a book inspired by mr. The state of jones audiobook by john stauffer, sally. 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. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the state of jones. The free state of jones true story reveals that newton knight enlisted in the army in the early fall of 1861. 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 free state of jones and the echo of the black horn. The book fittingly combines crisp narrative with exhaustive historical context.
Jones county was founded in 1826 in response to the influx of settlers from the southeast into mississippi after the war of 1812. Jenkins and stauffer show how a country man changed the course of the civil war and racial relations in the postbellum years and into the mid20th century. Free state of jones, and my own book not only denies the importance of class to relations between nonslaveholders and slaves, it. Its a window into an obscure corner of mississippis history and an account that further challenges myths of a south unified behind. Not out of any disrespect toward the excellent historical scholarship behind the film, including victoria bynums superb book by the same name which. Newton knight and the legend of the free state of jones.
The state of jones kindle edition by jenkins, sally, stauffer, john. Jun 24, 2016 banding together with other small farmers and local slaves, knight launched an uprising that led jones county, mississippi to secede from the confederacy, creating a free state of jones. Matt jones of kentucky sports radio plans book on mitch. 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. Free state of jones is a 2016 american historical 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. How accurate is the new movie about the free state of jones. Jones county is a county located in the southeast portion of the u. I was fully prepared to be disappointed with the recentlyreleased free state of jones. Books similar to the state of jones the state of jones. Between late 1863 and mid1864, an armed band of confederate deserters battled confederate cavalry in the piney woods region of jones county, mississippi. Before going to see the movie, has rounded up 5 key things to know about the. Free state of jones the movie was partly inspired by the free state of jones the book a curious footnote started victoria bynum on a journey to recover the history of a group of deserters who fought to secede from the confederacy. Morrison series in southern studies bynum, victoria e. State of fear is, like many of crichtons books, a fictional work that uses a mix of speculation and real world data, plus technological innovations as fundamental storyline devices.
The free state of jones the free state of jones is one of the most gripping history books published in recent years. Child protective services cps investigates reports of child abuse and neglect to protect children from harm now and in the future. Free state of jones the movie was partly inspired by the. Mississippis longest civil war history vs hollywood, movie, book, audio book. 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. 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. The film is credited as based on the books the free state of jones by victoria e. The small southern county that seceded from the confederacy. Discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that delivers new books every 1, 2, or 3 months new customers receive 15% off your. 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. I came to jones county having read some good books about its history, and knowing very little about its presentday reality. Cps works to strengthen and stabilize families so that they can safely care for their children at home.