A collection of letters written by African American soldiers during the Spanish-American War and Philippine-American War, sent to black newspapers between 1898 and 1902. The letters were compiled by author Willard B. Gatewood. They provide first-hand accounts of battles in Cuba and the Philippines, as well as soldiers' perspectives on their role in America's imperial expansion.
Use Cases
- Analyze attitudes of African American soldiers toward U.S. empire based on their personal letters.
- Study first-hand accounts of military battles in Cuba and the Philippines based on soldier reports.
- Research the role of black newspapers as historical archives based on the collection of letters.
- Examine the perspective of dispossessed citizens seeking rights based on the soldiers' writings.
Strengths
- Letters provide a first-hand perspective from a specific historical group.
- The collection covers a defined historical period from 1898 to 1902.
- Content includes reports from two distinct geographical theaters: Cuba and the Philippines.
Limitations
- Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
- Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
- Data may reflect temporal and source bias inherent to the letters and newspapers.
Provenance
- Source
- Willard B. Gatewood
- Collection Method
- Compiled from letters sent to black U.S. newspapers.
- Time Range
- 1898-1902
- Geography
- Cuba, Philippine Islands