The Sergeant

December 1, 2022
The fascinating life story of a soldier who fought for liberty across multiple continents. Many Black Americans fought for the Union, but biographies are scarce because their lives were poorly documented. This is not the case with Nicholas Said (1836-circa 1882). The son of a brilliant general in the Bornu Empire in Africa, he was kidnapped by slavers at age 13. He served aristocrats in Turkey and then Russia, where he served as a free man (slavery was illegal in Russia). He traveled widely in Europe before sailing to the U.S. in 1860; in 1863, he enlisted in one of the first all-Black units. Award-wining journalist Calbreath makes extensive use of his subject's vivid, hyperbolic autobiography and contemporary letters and journalism. When material runs thin, he recounts the history of the period with emphasis on the experiences of African Americans both inside and outside the U.S. Class was far more important than race in 19th-century Europe. As a high-level retainer, Said looked down on household help, socialized freely with the upper classes, and rarely encountered racism--until he crossed the Atlantic, where he encountered plenty. Other authors extol the heroism of Black units, but Calbreath emphasizes their disgraceful treatment by superiors and misuse on the battlefield. Literate and responsible, Said rose to become the senior noncom responsible for the regimental hospital. War's end found him in South Carolina, and he remained in the South as a teacher in Black schools. He discovered a talent for public speaking, a major form of entertainment at the time, prospering on the lecture circuit for years. A popular orator, he attracted White audiences with his stories and absence of rhetoric in favor of equal rights. It's widely believed that he died in 1882, though "two widely circulated newspaper articles in the 1890s suggested he met a very different fate, living until at least 1897, when he was allegedly shoveling coal as a prisoner in the prison mines of Alabama." A lively biography of an undeservedly neglected historical figure.

COPYRIGHT(2022) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

February 1, 2023
Calbreath came across the amazing life of Nicholas Said in connection with another research project and became so enthralled with Said's story that he dug deeply into the archives for more information. The result of that passionate search is this excellent portrait detailing the life and times of an erudite linguist and world traveler. Said was born to a wealthy family in the late 1830s in the kingdom of Borno, then captured by slavers as a teenager. Eventually, he journeyed across Africa, Asia, and Europe, working as a valet for several noblemen before ending up in the U.S. Said fought against the Confederacy as part of the 55th Massachusetts Infantry in South Carolina, then stayed on to educate as many freedmen as he could during Reconstruction. Calbreath does remarkable work stitching this biography together from disparate sources, including Said's own memoirs, and filling in gray spots with well-reasoned inferences about Said's unusual life. A fascinating look at the fight against slavery and white supremacy from the point of view of a native African and a man of exceptional abilities and experiences.

COPYRIGHT(2023) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.