The Bloody Chasm: A Descriptive Analysis of the First Reconstruction Period in U.S. American Literature: 1865-1885

The Bloody Chasm discusses the way that one of the most controversial moments in U.S. history, the First Reconstruction period, is portrayed in the literature written at the time of the event itself, specifically short stories, novels, and literary essays. The sociopolitical and political events portrayed within are in the framework of literary theory (neo-didacticism) and cultural psychological analysis (social psychology). Many of these events deal not only with sociopolitical history but also the sexual and violent episodes found in this literature, especially the Cult of Racio-sexuality and the Cult of Violence in Southern society.

The conflict between the white supremacist type of racism and multiracial unity was a major part of the struggle between North and South after the War Against Secessionism. And since racism now exists in new forms, this book describes some of the old forms. Multiracial unity is still needed to overcome racist ideologies in all their forms. No matter how often moral idealism may be defeated in the search for a better world, it does and will win out in the end.

About the Author

Rev. Dr. Finley C. Campbell was involved in Unitarian Universalism as a lay minister and as a member of the First Unitarian Church of Chicago in Illinois. He was an avid movie buff for movies from 1940-1990 and especially of movies showing positive interactions between the races and showing a Christian ethic, no matter how secular in form. His special interest was in giving leadership to the building of a multiracial Unitarian Universalist organization called the Unitarian Universalist Multiracial Unity Action Council.

Dr. Campbell received a BA degree in 1956 from Morehouse College, English major; MA degree in 1958, Atlanta University (Clark), English; and Ph.D., U of Chicago, 1970, Anglo-American literature with socio-political themes. He was a professor of U.S. American, English, and World Literature; and Black/Afro-American studies, all in one way or another connected to history, economics,

and literature, and he taught writing. He was also a member of the Black Action Committee; the Indiana Peace and Freedom Party; acting minister of education with the Indiana Chapter of the Black Panther Party, founding member of the International Committee Against Racism; chair, the Racial Justice Task Force of First Unitarian Church of Chicago, and chair and cofounder of UUMUAC.

Dr. Campbell was happily married to his third wife, Dr. Roberta Lammers Campbell for 37 years. Through his first two wives he had two boys and two girls, and Bobbi brought two children from a previous marriage.