This Wednesday, November 5, the Griot Institute hosted a book group discussion about Edda Fields-Black’s book, Combee. Combee won the 2025 Pulitzer Prize for History and tells the story of the Combahee River Raid, an operation led by Harriet Tubman, through a comprehensive lens crafted by Fields-Black’s own research over the course of ten years.
The discussion was led by senior Da’Mirah Vinson, who opened discussion with general reactions. The group expressed unanimous respect for Fields-Black’s work, struck by the genealogical research involved. Fields-Black traces white families all the way back to England through standard means to paint a portrait of generational wealth, whereas the families of the enslaved could only be officially traced through documents like military pension applications. As one member pointed out, these pensions often had to be fought for, the veteran providing proof of serving. Even genealogically, African Americans have historically been denied the privilege of a traceable family line. This brought the group to discussion of the importance of oral history and narratives, as well as unconventional forms of data, such as community members backing one another’s claims. Dr. Fourhsey explained the importance of these methods of data collection in Africana studies, explaining that Africanist historians cannot always rely on traditional forms of documentation like marriage records or censuses for their subjects because of institutionalized racism. In the book, Fields-Black explains that many Confederate records were burned by the Union army to prevent Confederates from seeking compensation for the loss of their slaves. However, this may have destroyed many of the only documents enslaved people had to verify their familial relationships.
The group also discussed common portrayals of Harriet Tubman, especially in mainstream education, and where misconceptions arise. For example, educators and educational materials often portray Harriet Tubman as an elderly woman, but her vision of freedom began when she was very young, and Combee includes photographs of an obviously young adult Tubman. Dr. Elena Machado stressed the importance of remembering Tubman as a young person, arguing that when she is remembered as a young woman with her entire life in front of her, with plenty to lose and an enormous bounty on her head, her sacrifice becomes all the more apparent. The group pondered why Tubman might be perceived this way, some members speculating that her association with the Biblical figure Moses, an old man, might be why. Da’Mirah argued that mainstream media and education might portray her as elderly because if students recognized her as a fellow young person, they might be motivated to insight change.
Additionally, there was discussion about Tubman’s contributions to other movements, such as the women’s suffrage movement, which are often overlooked, and the very specific way she is portrayed in the media. She was the first woman to lead a United States military operation, but is not often credited as such. She is also an important figure in disability studies, as a figure with a very important vision but who had to overcome immense obstacles, namely the management of epileptic seizures, in order to avoid recapture. The group came to a close with discussion about the way enslaved Black people have been historically portrayed in general, emphasizing the importance of remembering that these individuals had families whom they loved and aspirations they hoped to achieve. The group agreed that Fields-Black, through her research and writing, did a masterful job of portraying these individuals with dignity and respect, especially as she herself is a descendant of one of the participants of the Combahee River Raid.
-Lily Hebda