Nathan Forrest’s die and funeral
$35.00
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General of the Confederacy and Grand Wizard of the KKK, known for his raids and the triumph at Brice’s Cross Roads. Nothing in Nathan Forrest’s past suggested he would make a good soldier, much less a national Civil Rights Leader. Despite being uneducated, he still amassed wealth via his plantations and slave trade, making him one of the richest people in the nation ($1,500,000 in pre-war values). The Governor of Tennessee had the brilliant notion to take advantage of Forrest’s money by having him create an entire battalion at his own expense even though he enlisted in the cavalry as a private.
Giclee canvas print, size: 11″ x 20″
Forrest seems to have some qualities that distinguish him from a regular Southerner. For instance, he openly declared his warm feelings towards blacks. The world had a last peek of Forrest non-racist qualities following his death in 1887. At the activities that followed, such as the wake, march, and burial which took place in Memphis, Tennessee, around 20,000 people came to honor their much-loved Southern hero. Among the thousands gathered was President Jefferson Davis as well as blacks who make up a reasonable percentage of the total mourners.
The Memphis appeal has cited that a massive crowd of blacks assembled at Forrest’s funeral to show their love for the General as well as their sadness for his demise. More than 500 blacks walked sadly past Forrest’s coffin on the morning of his burial not to mention the hundreds that offered to walk in his funeral procession. Only songs of praise could be heard from this huge crowd, and none of them said a disdainful word about the” true friend of Negroes.”
