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On 03/21/2018 11:16 PM, Sven Littkowski wrote:
> If we have artists here in this group who are good in re-creating
> persons from the era 1850 to 1870 (white Americans, native Americans,
> black Americans), then feel free to create a number of persons.
Don't forget Chinese Americans. They helped build the western portion
of the transcontinental railroad during the 1860s.
There is a tricky question of historical accuracy. The lower
Mississippi Valley was violently segregated by race until the 1960s.
The period you are aiming at was a tumultuous period in American
history, and at the root was race-based slavery.
In 1853, black Americans were stripped of their citizenship by the
Supreme Court. Even in states where slavery was already illegal, a free
black person could be kidnapped and sold down south, and there would no
legal recourse.
From 1861 to 1865, the USA fell into a vicious civil war that dwarfed
the violence seen in Latin America during the 20th century. Despite
what history textbooks may tell us, the issue was slavery.
In 1865, slavery was outlawed nationwide. However, it wasn't until 1868
that black Americans regained their citizenship, and not until 1870 that
they were guaranteed the right to vote. Meanwhile violence against
blacks continued. In 1865 and 1866, southern states passed
discriminatory laws, and in 1896, racial segregation was upheld legally
by the Supreme Court. The last of the discriminatory laws was not
overturned until 1967.
And of course, all during the 19th century, it was open season on Native
Americans. They, like blacks, were viewed by most whites as subhuman
savages with no human rights. Most of them were forcibly driven into
the western plains decades before 1850 (Google Trail of Tears), and it
was unlikely that you would find one around the lower Mississippi to
board the boat.
Given this history, please keep in mind what the seating arrangements
must have looked like during this period--unless historical accuracy is
not your goal.
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