Free State Of Jones

The free state of jones is perhaps mississippi s most enduring civil war legend.

Free state of jones. The free state of jones. The free state of jones true story reveals that newton knight enlisted in the army in the early fall of 1861. Cap n newt had had children by rachel a negro slave girl. The echo of the black horn.

An authentic tale of the governor of the free state of jones n p. Mississippi s longest civil war victoria bynum traces the origins and legacy of the jones county uprising from the american revolution to the modern civil rights movement. The university of north carolina press 2001. It was released in the united states by stxfilms on june 24 2016.

The free state of jones book author victoria e. On october 13 1863 a band of deserters from jones county and adjacent counties organized to protect the area from confederate authorities and the crippling tax collections. The company led by newton knight formed a separate government with unionist leanings known as the free state of jones and fought a recorded 14 skirmishes with confederate forces. The state of jones.

The free state of jones. Adding further controversy to the legend is the story of newt knight s interracial romance with his wartime accomplice rachel a slave. Jenkins sally and john stauffer. Knight continued his struggle into reconstruction distinguishing him as a compelling if controversial figure of defiance long beyond the war.

Bynum believes that knight did not necessarily enlist out of fear of conscription but rather because he just wanted to be a soldier. 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 written and directed by gary ross the film stars matthew mcconaughey gugu mbatha raw mahershala ali and keri russell. 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. His great grandfather had been cap n newt knight who deserted the confederate army and set up the free state of jones in jones county.

Mississippi s longest civil war. Long a staple of folklore fiction and history this anti confederate uprising has inspired five full length books and countless articles and essays.