Hunting and Fishing in the New South
When you spend a lot of time and effort pursuing an activity, it can sometimes be disheartening not seeing other people who look like you doing similar things. It’s difficult because, as humans we learn largely by example. The more unfamiliar an activity appears at first glance, the greater the hurdles that must be overcome in order to gain prowess. At times, one might find themselves in situations so far outside of their comfort zone that anxiety can border on fear. So it has occasionally been for me over the past 9 years as I pursue the self-sufficiency and depth of skill offered to those who yearn to be the best hunters that they can be.
It was with these experiences in mind that I began to look for historical examples of African-Americans hunting in the United States. I wanted to find evidence of black mountain men and market hunters. I hoped to see tintype photos of successful black hunters posing with elk and black bear or a canoe full of mallards. Truth be told there was little to find.
There is a real lack of scholarly research into the history of African-American hunters in the United States. That matters because without substantive research on a topic as multi-tiered as race in hunting, we are left with the half-truths and “that’s the way it’s always beens” of the colloquial zeitgeist. Societal memories are woefully short sighted and easily controlled by the images we repeatedly see. When we don't see images or hear stories of black hunters, we begin to assume that there are not any. Soon, that assumption becomes understood as truth. It doesn't take long for that perceived truth to become gospel and “that’s how it's always been.”
A book that serves as a bright light, shining into the void of academic interest into this topic is Scott E. Giltner’s, “Hunting and Fishing in the New South.” In this text, Giltner discusses the history of black hunters in the South before the Civil War and most specifically, in the years following that conflict. With real historical examples, he is able to show how hunting and fishing allowed newly freed blacks to live better and develop economic markets of their own, outside the control of the existing white power structure. Giltner looks at how ideas about the gentility of “field sports” and the segregation of hunting quarry/methodologies along racial lines developed. The author further delves into the expressed fears of white society and the notion of a black population that was armed and maintained a level of independence that threatened notions of white supremacy. The implementation of laws controlling hunting and fishing and some of the motivations behind their development are examined in fascinating detail as well. Giltner exposes how even something as central to the history of America as outdoorsmanship, has been unable to escape the peculiar institution of racism.
Most heartening though is the wealth of examples of competent, even fantastic hunting exploits of blacks throughout the history of this country. After reading this book I felt exponentially better informed about African-Americans’ contribution to hunting in the United States, but also proud that I was playing a small part in the continuation of that legacy.
This is an incredibly important book and one that I strongly suggest anyone interested in the history of hunting in the United States takes the time to read. I believe it’s even more crucial for well rounded members of the hunting community to take advantage of the educational resources at our disposal in order to broaden the hunting narrative. I will be posting an interview with the author shortly so stay tuned!