The Springfield Massacre of 1908

When you hear mention of Springfield, Illinois, is the Springfield Massacre the first thing to come to mind? Unlikely. If you are like most people, it’s Abraham Lincoln. What probably doesn’t come to mind is the racial massacre that took place there in 1908. The facts of the Springfield Massacre are these. Two African Americans […]

The Cowboy Way – Prime Historical Nonsense

(Disclaimer: if you like cowboys, you might want to skip this discussion of the cowboy way. It won’t be pretty. Or, alternately, stick around and learn some history.) It was, perhaps, the most worthless hour of my life. I was a college professor, and the motivational speaker at our inservice gathering was about to educate […]

The Brownsville Affair & the 25th Infantry

If you’ve read my book The Buffalo Soldier, (click here to check it out!) you may remember it includes the 25th Infantry Regiment of the US Army. They were stationed at Fort Missoula in Montana in 1896. The 25th was also among the first of the short-lived bicycle regiments in the US Army. The same […]

Review of Deacon King Kong, by James McBride

Deacon King Kong is a historical fiction novel that appeared in 2020. Author James McBride is an iconic figure in African American literature. He’s one of those Published Authorsâ„¢ who only needs to write a book every five years or so to keep up his cred. To read my other recent historical fiction book reviews, […]