Intensely Human: The Health of the Black Soldier in the American Civil War

The Intensely Human book provides a thought-provoking exploration of the causes of high mortality rates among black Civil War soldiers, shedding light on the perspectives of mid-nineteenth-century physicians and others who were eager to implicate the so-called innate inferiority of the black body.

Through extensive archival research, historian Margaret Humphreys uncovers evidence that highlights the impact of malnourishment, inadequate shelter and clothing, inferior medical attention, and assignments to hazardous environments on the high death rate among black soldiers.

While some sympathetic physicians of the day challenged these circumstances, the stereotype of black biological inferiority prevailed during the war and after.

This groundbreaking work fills a significant void in the literature on the health of black soldiers in the war and offers valuable insights into contemporary issues of race, socioeconomic status, and health.