Dr. Edda L. Fields-Black

Dr. Edda L. Fields-Black is a renowned historian with a powerful personal connection to the history she studies. As a direct descendant of a formerly enslaved man who played a key role in the Combahee River Raid during the Civil War, Dr. Fields-Black brings a unique and deeply personal perspective to her work. Her family history traces back to the rice plantations of Colleton County, South Carolina, where her ancestors not only survived but eventually triumphed over the brutal conditions of enslavement.

From a young age, Dr. Fields-Black was fascinated by the distinctive speech patterns of her grandparents, a curiosity that sparked her lifelong dedication to reclaiming and preserving her family’s history and the rich Gullah language and culture. Her journey has taken her from the rice fields of West Africa to the plantations of the American South, making her an expert in the transnational history of West African rice cultivation and the experiences of enslaved laborers in the antebellum South.

Dr. Fields-Black has shared her expertise with some of the most prestigious institutions in the country, including the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture and the International African American Museum. She currently teaches history at Carnegie Mellon University and serves as the Director of the Dietrich College Humanities Center.

In her latest book, COMBEE: Harriet Tubman, the Combahee River Raid, and Black Freedom during the Civil War, Dr. Fields-Black uncovers a little-known chapter of Harriet Tubman’s extraordinary life, revealing her pivotal role in the Union Army’s operations in South Carolina. Through meticulous research, Dr. Fields-Black brings to life the daring Combahee River Raid, where Tubman and a crew of Black US Army soldiers liberated 756 people from the rice plantations of the South Carolina Lowcountry. This powerful narrative not only highlights Tubman’s strategic brilliance but also celebrates the resilience of the newly freed individuals who fought for their freedom and went on to shape the Gullah Geechee culture.

Topics: 

  • Harriet Tubman and the Combahee River Raid (in-class presentation or assembly)
  • Historical Writing throug the lens of COMBEE: Harriet Tubman, the Combahee River Raid, and Black Freedom during the Civil War
  • Historical Research Among Primary Sources through the lens of COMBEE: Harriet Tubman, the Combahee River Raid, and Black Freedom during the Civil War

 

Standards Alignment 

  • CC.8.5: Reading Informational Text: Students read, understand, and respond to informational text – with emphasis on comprehension, making connections among ideas and between texts with focus on textual evidence.
  • CC.8.6: Writing: Students write for different purposes and audiences. Students write clear and focused text to convey a well-defined perspective and appropriate content.
  • 8.1.12.A:  Evaluate patterns of continuity and rates of change over time, applying context of events.
  • 8.1.12.B: Evaluate the interpretation of historical events and sources, considering the use of fact versus opinion, multiple perspectives, and cause and effect relationships.
  • Standard – 8.1.12.C: Analyze, synthesize, and integrate historical data, creating a product that supports and appropriately illustrates inferences and conclusions drawn from research. (Reference RWSL Standard 1.8.11 Research)
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