Free state of jones is a noble, quiet, solemn and slow historical drama polite words for saying its duller than dirt. Matthew mcconaughey thought the free state of jones script was the most exciting civil war story he had ever read, and knew immediately that he wanted to play newt knight. The documentation is meticulous, yet this gem of a book reads like a novel, with a revelation at every turn. Local legends tell of knight and his men forming the free state of jones in the area in and around jones county, mississippi, at the. It tells of a rebellion against the confederacy led by an angry farmer named newton knight, whose ragtag army of poor whites and escaped slaves declared a portion of southeastern mississippi, including jones county, independent and loyal to the union. The state of jones the small southern county that seceded from the confederacy book. Matthew mcconaughey seethes with righteous fury in free state of jones, a tale based on an intriguing, littleknown chapter of civil war history that, despite impeccable intentions, b. A greatniece, ethel knight, wrote a 1951 history entitled echo of the black horn.
Mar 08, 2015 post your comments and notes on the free state of jones in this group. The popular movie free state of jones starring matthew mcconaughey as newton knight, a nonslave owner, who deserts from the confederate army and leads a biracial guerilla band hiding in the swamps has excited a great deal of interest because it challenges the long held myth of the lost. In early 2007, universal studios purchased film rights to the book from the press. Jun 28, 2016 reblogged this on renegade south and commented. Project muse the free state of jones, movie edition. Professor bynums book the free state of jones is a wonderful, refreshing example of the historians art at its best. In bridging the gap between the legendary and the real free state of jones, she shows how the legendwhat. When i began researching the legend of the free state of jones ten years ago, i had little sense of the journey i was about to undertake. Watch free state of jones online stream full movie directv. This book also raises the issues of race and class before and since the reconstruction era in the south. Free state of jones tells the story of newton knight matthew mcconaughey, a truetolife, nonslaveholding farmer from jones county, mississippi, who deserts from the confederate army, disgusted at the senseless brutality and the increasing pressure on poor men to fight a war that served the interests of wealthy slaveholders. An authentic tale of the governor of the free state of jones.
Stauffer and sally jenkins published the state of jones, a book inspired by mr. For example, blows expressed indignation in a new york times oped over contents in both the movie, free state of jones, and my own book not. The new state of jones rests upon the notion that there exists an old state of jones. The small southern county that seceded from the confederacy. Overall, the book offers an impartial look at the historical complexities that make up the southeastern piney woods section of mississippi, how they have affected its people to this day, and how a large cast of characters are influenced by the vagaries of culture. In the civil war drama free state of jones, mahershala ali plays escaped slave moses, who finds an ally in white farmer newt knight matthew mcconaughey, who also has no love for the. Bynum demonstrates that our knowledge of mississippis legendary free state of jones, like so much else associated with the civil. Discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that delivers new books every 1, 2, or 3 months new customers receive 15% off your. Although authors sally jenkins and john stauffer labor mightily in the state of jones to make the case for newt knight and jones county as emblems of enlightened insurrection within. Free state of jones the movie was partly inspired by the free state. In 1863, mississippi farmer newt knight serves as a medic for the confederate army.
Jenkins and stauffer bring historical contexts to life and offer provocative interpretations. She criticized knight as a traitor to the confederacy and castigated him for his marriage to a freedwoman, rachel knight. However, you do not have to lose one to embrace the other. War and reunion in middle america, will be published in the fall of 2016 by the university of illinois press. Its told with the passion of a person dictating passages from a history. Opposed to slavery, knight would rather help the wounded than fight the union. From this day forward we declare the land of pascagoula swamp to be a free state of jones. Based on a true story, free state of jones is a ponderous, overly ambitious, and melodramatic film that tries to cover too much history and fails as a result. Gary ross free state of jones is based on one of the most fascinating true stories of the civil war. Find out where free state of jones is streaming, if free state of jones is on netflix, and get news and updates, on decider. Free state of jones where to stream and watch decider. Exploring the free state of jones and finding a grave. In 2001, my book, the free state of jones, was published by the university of north carolina press. Legend of the free state of jones was the first authoritative explanation of just what did happen in jones county in 1864 to give rise to the legend and now to a major motion picture starring matthew mcconaughey.
This book surveys the facts, the records, and the history of the free state of jones and may provide the whole story. But to cast free state of jones aside as just another bad summer movie might be missing the point. Jul 12, 2016 for example, blows expressed indignation in a new york times oped over contents in both the movie, free state of jones, and my own book not only denies the importance of class to relations. Post your comments and notes on the free state of jones in this group. The popular movie free state of jones starring matthew mcconaughey as newton knight, a nonslave owner, who deserts from the confederate army and leads a biracial guerilla band hiding in the swamps has excited a great deal of interest because it challenges the long held myth of the lost cause. The free state of jones the free state of jones is one of the most gripping history books published in recent years. A confederate dissident, in a film with footnotes the. Mississippis longest civil war history vs hollywood, movie, book, audio book. The old county seat, and ground zero for the free state of jones, is ellisville, now a pleasant, leafy town of 4,500 people. It has oscarseason pretensions of significance it doesnt earn, but also lacks the bombast of. The historical imagination and free state of jones the. The story of the jones between late 1863 and mid1864, an armed band of confederate deserters battled confederate cavalry in the piney woods region of jones county, mississippi. For a period, however, it seemed that rosss researchwhich involved reading 40 to 50 books, he sayswould not result in a film.
Adding further controversy to the legend is the story of newt knights interracial romance with his wartime accomplice, rachel, a slave. The free state of jones true story reveals that newton knight enlisted in the army in the early fall of 1861. Stanleys current research focuses on the convergence of collective memory and radical class politics among civil war veterans. Read the free state of jones movie synopsis, view the movie trailer, get cast and crew information, see movie photos, and more on. Written and directed by gary ross, its held back by a slow, disjointed plot that doesnt. Jenkins and stauffer show how a country man changed the course of the civil war and racial relations in the postbellum years and into the mid20th century. The true story of the free state of jones history smithsonian. Jun 24, 2016 gary ross free state of jones is based on one of the most fascinating true stories of the civil war. Jones county is a county located in the southeast portion of the u. The major research source for the movie is victoria bynum s book, the free state of jones. In the wake of the fourth of july, its only natural that we as a society ring in our cultural values and proclaim exactly just how proud we are to be american.
A confederate dissident, in a film with footnotes the new. Jun 22, 2016 free state of jones is an odd film to release in the summer. Jul 14, 2016 free state of jones tells the story of newton knight matthew mcconaughey, a truetolife, nonslaveholding farmer from jones county, mississippi, who deserts from the confederate army, disgusted at the senseless brutality and the increasing pressure on poor men to fight a war that served the interests of wealthy slaveholders. Despite overwhelming odds, knight banded together with other small farmers and local slaves and launched an uprising that led jones county, mississippi to secede from the confederacy, creating a free. Bynum keeps the people of the free state of jones and their story firmly in the center and weaves a saga of the civil war around them that is intriguing. The jones county insurrectionists were neither abolitionists nor southern yankees, says victoria bynum, who wrote the 2001 book the free state of jones. Free state of jones the movie was partly inspired by the. The free state of jones film, starring matthew mcconaughey, gugu mbatharaw, and keri russell, will be released in may 2016. Rick atkinson, author of an army at dawn in the state of jones, jenkins and stauffer locate the real civil warand the story of our greatest national trialin all of its specificity and moral complexity. Written and directed by gary ross, the film stars matthew mcconaughey, gugu mbatharaw, mahershala ali, and keri russell. Between late 1863 and mid1864, an armed band of confederat. The new civil war film free state of jones, starring matthew mcconaughey and gugu mbatharaw, is richly researched, but its flat assemblage of history strips out the storys texture and. I came to jones county having read some good books about its history, and knowing very little about its presentday reality. Then you can start reading kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer no kindle device required.
Jan 14, 2003 between late 1863 and mid1864, an armed band of confederate deserters battled confederate cavalry in the piney woods region of jones county, mississippi. Significant, obscure in civil war history full disclosure. In the end, the film free state of jones was not based on the book the free state of jones, but the book was used as a major resource, with bynum credited as a consultant. Free state of jones matthew mcconaughey gugu mbatharaw mahershala ali 2016 in jones county, miss. Jenkins and stauffer succeed in telling the complex history of the civil war, and its. The book fittingly combines crisp narrative with exhaustive historical context. Newton knight november 10, 1829 february 16, 1922 was an american farmer, soldier and southern unionist in mississippi, best known as the leader of the knight company, a band of confederate army deserters who resisted the confederacy during the civil war. History of the free state of jones welcome to the new state. Bynum believes that knight did not necessarily enlist out of fear of conscription but rather because he just wanted to be a soldier.
The state of jones is a true story about the south during the civil warthe real south, an authentic, hardscrabble place where poor men were forced to fight a rich mans war for slavery and cotton. The story of the jones county rebellion is well known among mississippians, and debate over whether the county actually seceded from the state during the war has smoldered for more than a century. Jun 28, 2016 but to cast free state of jones aside as just another bad summer movie might be missing the point. History of the free state of jones welcome to the new. Jun 28, 2016 the nonfiction work, the state of jones, by sally jenkins and john stauffer, was actually inspired by rosss screenplay and the research that had gone into it. Calling themselves the knight company after their captain, newton knight, they set up headquarters in the swamps of the leaf river, where, legend has it, they declared the free state of jones. Free state of jones is a 2016 american historical period war film inspired by the life of newton knight and his armed revolt against the confederacy in jones county, mississippi, throughout the american civil war.
Oscar winner matthew mcconaughey stars in this epic, untold true story of defiant southern farmer, newt knight and his extraordinary armed rebellion against the confederacy during the civil war. The history of a storied resistance movement in mississippi that was a thorn in the side of the confederacy, recreated in lively fashion. In jones county, mississippi, a farmer named newton knight led his neighbors, white and black alike, in an insurrection against the confederacy. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Its a slow moving and uneven film that works best when it focuses on knight being a wanted deserter and becoming the southern robin hood of jones county, rising up against the confederacy and creating a rebellion. Jones county is part of the laurel, ms micropolitan statistical area. The state of jones is as compelling as it is unlikely, a tale of insurrection that illuminates the larger insurrection of our civil war. Forced to flee, he finds refuge with a group of runaway slaves hiding out in the swamps. Jul 12, 2016 in the wake of the fourth of july, its only natural that we as a society ring in our cultural values and proclaim exactly just how proud we are to be american.
The free state of jones literary works of victoria bynum. Written and directed by gary ross, the film stars matthew mcconaughey, gugu mbatharaw, mahershala ali, and keri russell it was released in the united states by stxfilms on june 24, 2016. Downtown has some old brick buildings with wroughtiron balconies. Free state of jones the movie was partly inspired by the free. Fifteen years earlier my interest in the legend had been piqued by a civil war history textbook which noted that confederate disaffection ran so deep in jones county, mississippi, that during the civil war the county had allegedly seceded from the state and. A restless, some may say rebellious, spirit stirs from the first generations who settled in jones county near ellisville and seceded from the confederacy to create the free state of jones. Free state of jones is an odd film to release in the summer. Stanley is assistant professor of history at albany state university in albany, georgia. Jenkins and stauffer have proved once again that the. The story of the free state of jones in the state of mississippi which lead an insurrection against the confederacy during the us civil war. Race, gender, and the contested memory of the free state of jones. Producer gary ross seabiscuit, pleasantville is slated to produce, direct and write an original screenplay for the forthcoming movie of the same name. Free state of jones 2016, action war drama historical thriller released in english language in theatre near you in.
Enter your mobile number or email address below and well send you a link to download the free kindle app. Jul 04, 2016 the jones county insurrectionists were neither abolitionists nor southern yankees, says victoria bynum, who wrote the 2001 book the free state of jones. During the civil war a defiant southern farmer, newt knight, leads an extraordinary armed rebellion against the confederacy. The nonfiction work, the state of jones, by sally jenkins and john stauffer, was actually inspired by rosss screenplay and the research that had gone into it. The state of jones book pima county public library. Bynum, distinguished professor emeritus of history at texas state university in san marcos, whose 2001 book published by the university of. A true story of defiance during the american civil war by victoria e. The book notably omits newton knights postwar marriage to rachel 2. Covering the same ground as the major motion picture the free state of jones, starring matthew mcconaughey, this is the extraordinary true story of. The state of jones by sally jenkins, john stauffer.
The state of jones is a great book based on the civil war contributions of newton knight and his band of men that ditched the confederate civil war effort in a small mississippi county. As it happens, the other day i got the opportunity to see one of the newest blockbusters on the scene, free state of jones. Free state of jones is a 2016 american historical war film inspired by the life of newton knight and his armed revolt against the confederacy in jones county, mississippi, throughout the american civil war. It has oscarseason pretensions of significance it doesnt earn, but also lacks the bombast of a historical war epic like saving.
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