August Book of the Month - Travis Gilbert's Pick: I Saw Death Coming by Kidada E. Williams

Each month, the Old Baldy Foundation staff selects a Book of the Month from our Museum Store’s diverse collection—ranging from history and biography to coastal life, nature, and beyond. For August, Travis has chosen I Saw Death Coming: A History of Terror and Survival in the War Against Reconstruction by historian Kidada E. Williams.

This powerful and moving work offers a deeply personal perspective on the Reconstruction Era, drawing from the testimonies of African Americans who lived through its violence and upheaval. Our Director of Philanthropy, Travis Gilbert, shares his thoughts below on the book and how it brings new dimension to a critical chapter in American history.

Few questions animate historians of American history more than analyzing why Reconstruction failed. Reconstruction, or the era after the Civil War when African Americans were integrated into society, is perhaps the most malleable period in American history for historians to interpret. Historian Kidada E. Williams recently provided a fresh perspective befitting Reconstruction’s 150th anniversary with her book, I Saw Death Coming: A History of Terror and Survival in the War Against Reconstruction. In William’s interpretation, Reconstruction should be defined as a war, just like the deadly conflict that preceded the era. 

I Saw Death Coming leaves behind the electoral politics that narrate previous histories of Reconstruction and focuses exclusively on the violence waged against African Americans, using the voices of ordinary people to drive the book’s narrative. The voices describing the bloodshed were once testimonies at the Congressional Ku Klux Klan hearings or oral histories from the Works Progress Administration’s Slave Narratives. Now, the voices of Edward Crosby and Adaline Fullerlove describe the warfare waged upon their communities, telling us that Reconstruction didn’t fail, but was violently overthrown in a scale that can only be described as war. 

With I Saw Death Coming, Williams provides the 21st century with an interpretation of Reconstruction that acknowledges our nation’s experiences in Vietnam and Iraq, when war took on new forms independently of the stateb

uilding which indicated victory on paper. William’s fresh perspective also helps readers contextualize the ongoing national conversation about racial violence by drawing historical parallels. Reconstruction remains of consequential relevance, and approachable narratives like I Saw Death Coming will help the nation find greater consensus on defining and interpreting the Era that has remained elusive.

I Saw Death Coming challenges readers to reconsider what they know about Reconstruction—and to confront the truth that its defeat was not inevitable, but intentional. As we mark the 150th anniversary of the era, this powerful work helps illuminate the past and its continuing relevance today. Don't miss your chance to engage with this groundbreaking narrative at a special discount. Get your copy this August—online or in the Old Baldy Museum Store—at 20% off.

This month’s selection also ties into our upcoming Historic Happy Hour, where historian Dr. Angela Zombek will present Reconstruction in North Carolina on Monday, August 19th at 5:30 PM. Whether you’re attending the event or simply looking for a compelling summer read, I Saw Death Coming is available in the Old Baldy Museum Store and online at 20% off throughout August.