The historical fiction novel, American Janus by Douglas Shouse, is unique in that it brings to light episodes of late 19th century Southern history that have been overlooked or at least minimized, by many of stories from the Civil War and its grim aftermath. Rather than the broad sweeping and familiar events of Pickett’s Charge and the Appomattox surrender or summary references to societal dynamics such as post-war racial injustices or The Lost Cause, American Janus explores hidden gems of history that have received less attention from historians and writers of this genre.
The Freedmen’s Bureau, its short-lived history and mixed results, is brought to life by examples of triumphs and failures of the Bureau in North Carolina. Officially the U.S. Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands, this federal agency provided practical aid to the more than 4 million African Americans making the harrowing transition from slavery to freedom. The book illustrates how its agents struggled to make a difference for the formerly enslaved Americans in the face of great opposition from most whites. Shouse depicts the nature of this opposition through his fictional account of the burning of the Gaines School in 1868 in Winston, NC.
Economic progress was uneven at best in Southern towns in the later part of the 19th century. As the primary setting in American Janus, the town of Winston was a notable example of growth and progress. Shouse showcases interesting history of the town at the turn of the 20th century with its emerging and powerful economic drivers of tobacco and textile manufacturing. He also writes about the committed effort to build a railroad through the Blue Ridge Mountains connecting Winston and Salem with the Virginia town of Roanoke. Winston’s fiftieth anniversary town fair is also brought to life through delightful and colorful prose, transporting the reader to that time and place.
While not technically “Southern” history, an entertaining episode features the large outdoor White House wedding reception of President Grant’s only daughter, Ellen, “Nellie” in May of 1874. Everyone that really knew the President knew that she was his favorite. She married a considerably older British dandy and, Grant was said to be distraught to the point of not attending the reception. The reception was a much sought after affair with the White House lawn overflowing with a wide mix of classes, from lawyers and politicians to lower-level bureaucrats and even many from the working classes. Grant was insistent that all the people should be represented.
American Janus is a delightful read, elegantly bringing to life people, places and events of our shared American history that have not been given their fair due. It is Southern History off the beaten path.