GAR PHOTOGRAPH
AIRED: Season 5, Episode 3
REPEATED: Season 6, Episode 6
THE DETECTIVE: Elyse Luray
THE PLACE: Cazenovia, NY and Washington D.C.
THE CASE:
A Civil War enthusiast owns a striking vintage photograph that depicts about 20 older white men in full dress uniform, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with two black men.
In Reconstructionist-era America, association between blacks and whites was frequently taboo. So what brought them together for this portrait?
Their bond, it turns out, was the Grand Army of the Republic, a remarkable fraternal order organized for war veterans. In fact, integration was actually a GAR standard. The reason? The men had in common an affliction that transcended race – a struggle with post traumatic stress.
History Detectives investigates the first national social group to challenge the color barrier.
Detective Journal
On the road with Elyse as she battles bad weather, broken cameras and closed libraries.
Do It Yourself: Photos
Whether you find a photo in the attic, or consider buying one at auction, how do you know what you have?
Think you have a case for the History Detectives? Send us your mystery here. 