The Case:
For the first time History Detectives teams up with Antiques Roadshow to trace the story behind two people in a fascinating photograph.
The photo shows two men, one black and the other white, both dressed in Confederate uniforms. History Detectives host Wes Cowan first encountered this Civil War tintype in his role as an Antiques Roadshow appraiser.
The Antiques Roadshow episode unleashed a flood of responses, from viewers, bloggers and historians. Now the owner of this tintype and his friend, both direct descendants of the two men in the photograph, ask Wes Cowan to track down the rest of the story.
Was the African American dressed in a Confederate uniform a slave or free? History Detectives investigates the story behind this one of a kind photograph.
Silas' Pension Application
Related Content
Feature:
Feature:
Feature:
Technique:
Related Links
Explore
-
Related Investigation
Civil War Deringers
Are these pistols union or rebel?
-
Related Investigation
Civil War Bridge
Has a new discovery rewritten Civil War history?
-
Also in Civil War: 1850-1877
Natchez House
How did a free man of color come to own this house twelve years before emancipation?
-
Also in Season 9
Japanese Carved Cane
What can the message on this cane expose about life behind barbed wire in World War II America?
-
Also in Season 9
African American Comic Book
Did the makers of this 1950s comic book have more than romance on their minds?
-
Also with Wes Cowan
Ernie Pyle's Typewriter
Did America’s most beloved battlefront correspondent bang out his dispatches on this Corona 3?
Comments
This is a place for opinions, comments, questions and discussion; a place where viewers of History Detectives can express their points of view and connect with others who value history. We ask that posters be polite and respectful of all opinions. History Detectives reserves the right to delete comments that don’t conform to this conduct. We will not respond to every post, but will do our best to answer specific questions, or address an error.