Escott (history, Wake Forest U.) uses newspapers, magazines, books, Army records and government documents from the Civil War era to examine attitudes about "the future of African-Americans after the end of slavery." The author pays special attention to the policies of Abraham Lincoln, noting that unification was a much higher priority that emancipation despite popular belief. This book, written for historians as well as general audiences, focuses on the evolution of actual wartime and racial policies during the Civil War and compares Southern and Northern public opinion and media coverage. Annotation ©2009 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)