Jun 24, 2016 gary ross free state of jones is based on one of the most fascinating true stories of the civil war. The free state of jones based on a true story youtube. The state of jones is a true story about the south during the civil war, the real south. Before going to see the movie, has rounded up 5 key things to know about the. Thats the feeling i had while watching free state of jones, a movie thats based on a true story a story that is far more complex than the one that the screenwriter and director, gary. Free state of jones best quotes, which includes were all out there dying so they can stay rich. Thats the feeling i had while watching free state of jones, a movie thats based on a true storya story that is far more complex than the one that the screenwriter and director, gary.
Dec 22, 2016 free state of jones is a 2016 american historical period war film inspired by the life of newton knight and his armed revolt against the confederacy in jones county, mississippi, throughout the. Bynum believes that knight did not necessarily enlist out of fear of conscription but rather because he just wanted to be a soldier. The true story july 12, 2017 edition open library donate. Jones county is part of the laurel, ms micropolitan statistical area. Free state of jone best quotes theres plenty left to. The true story of the free state of jones history smithsonian. Set during the civil war, free state of jones tells the story of defiant southern farmer, newt knight, and his extraordinary armed rebellion against the confederacy. The film is credited as being based on the books the free state.
On june 24th, director gary ross, the threetime academy award nomin. I came to jones county having read some good books about its history, and knowing very little about its presentday reality. Free state of jones takes place in 1862, in jones city, mississippi, where a confederate soldier named newton knight matthew mcconaughey finds himself demoralized after witnessing a teen boys death on a bloodsoaked battlefield. Free state of jones the movie was partly inspired by the free state of jones the book a curious footnote started victoria bynum on a journey to recover the history of a group of deserters who fought to secede from the confederacy. Jul 12, 2016 for example, blows expressed indignation in a new york times oped over contents in both the movie, free state of jones, and my own book not only denies the importance of class to relations.
For a period, however, it seemed that rosss researchwhich involved reading 40 to 50 books, he sayswould not result in a film. The free state of jones is perhaps mississippis most enduring civil war legend. Bynum and the state of jones by sally jenkins and john stauffer. Free state of jones may be based on a true story, but the film exercises some dramatic license in bringing the story to the big screen. The overall story follows the history of jones county, and some of the events portrayed are true. Everything you need to know about free state of jones movie.
Knight continued his struggle into reconstruction, distinguishing him as a compelling, if controversial, figure of defiance long beyond the war. The county was known as the free state of jones, and some say it actually seceded from the confederacy. Between late 1863 and mid1864, an armed band of confederat. Matthew mcconaughey thought the free state of jones script was the most exciting civil war story he had ever read, and knew immediately that he wanted to play newt knight. Between late 1863 and mid1864, an armed band of confederate deserters battled confederate cavalry in the piney woods region of jones county, mississippi. Local legends tell of knight and his men forming the free state of jones in the area in and around jones county, mississippi, at the.
The story of the jones county rebellion is well known among mississippians, and debate over whether the county actually seceded from the state during the war has smoldered for more than a century. Long a staple of folklore, fiction, and history, this anticonfederate uprising has inspired five fulllength books and countless articles and essays. Actiondrama written and directed by gary ross inspired by a true story set during the civil war, and tells the story of. Victoria e bynum between late 1863 and mid1864, an armed band of confederate deserters battled confederate cavalry in the piney woods region of jones county, mississippi. Jun 24, 2016 banding together with other small farmers and local slaves, knight launched an uprising that led jones county, mississippi to secede from the confederacy, creating a free state of jones. For this cause alone we have been treated as savages instead of freeman by the rebel authorities. Free state of jones is based on the untold and extraordinary story of newton knight, the leader of one of the greatest rebellions in civil war history, and we hear that stx may finance up to. According to the book the free state of jones by victoria bynum, the number of slave owners had grown since the county was settled during the turn of the 19th century, but poor farmers heavily outnumbered wealthy planters. The state of jones is a true story about the south during the civil warthe real south, an authentic, hardscrabble place where poor men were forced to fight a rich mans war for slavery and cotton. The american civil war has been combed over in popular culture countless times, but the true story that inspired the new film free state of. Most notably, it effectively pushes back on some of the most deeply entrenched myths of all. The free state of jones literary works of victoria bynum.
Jun 23, 2016 the american civil war has been combed over in popular culture countless times, but the true story that inspired the new film free state of jones, out friday, may still surprise some viewers. We stood firm to the union when secession swept as an avalanche over the state. Everything you need to know about free state of jones. Why you probably hadnt heard the real free state of jones story. Free state of jone best quotes theres plenty left to fight for. Morrison series in southern studies bynum, victoria e. The deeds of the story, the context of that time, will be very relevant to today, he said.
A true story of defiance during the american civil war fred w. According to the book the free state of jones by victoria bynum, the. The historical imagination and free state of jones the. Historic accounts of the mississippi county that seceded from the confederacy kindle edition goode montgomery. Jones county is a county located in the southeast portion of the u. Piercing through the myths that have shrouded the free state of jones, victoria bynum uncovers the fascinating true history of this mississippi unionist stronghold, widely believed to have seceded from the confederacy, and the mixedrace community that evolved there. A true story of defiance during the american civil war book online at best prices in india on. Free state of jones bibliographic data, summary, search for links to download an e book in pdf, epub or read online. Calling themselves the knight company after their captain, newton knight, they set up headquarters in the swamps of the leaf river, where, legend has it, they declared the free state of jones. In the spring of 1864, the knight company overthrew the confederate authorities in jones county and raised the united states flag over the county courthouse in ellisville. The true story of the free state of jones is a collection of historical reprints, many from the 1800s and all published prior to 1923, which shed light on the controversy over the existence of the republic of jones. The man held his shotgun close to his body as he darted through the w. Jun 20, 2016 for all the ravaged surface appeal of mcconaugheys performance, the character is a little too good to be true, but then, thats just the sort of movie free state of jones is. All information about the book based on a true story.
Digging into the history of jones county and the knight company. Free state of jones is based on a true story but like many historical. Written and directed by gary ross, free state of jones stars matthew mcconaughey as newton knight a mississippi farmer who deserted the army and revolted against confederate forces during the american civil war. Alleged secession of jones county by goode montgomery. Free state of jones on dvd september 20, 2016 starring matthew mcconaughey, gugu mbatharaw, keri russell, mahershala ali. Starring matthew mcconaughey, keri russell, gugu mbatharaw based on the books the free state of jones by victoria e. Free state of jones true story is astonishing the civil war is the backdrop for the new matthew mcconaughey movie free state of jones, in theaters. The historical imagination and free state of jones the new yorker. In the new film free state of jones, matthew mcconaughey plays confederate soldier newton knight, and depending on whom you ask, knight was either a hero or a traitor. Newton knight november 10, 1829 february 16, 1922 was an american farmer, soldier and southern unionist in mississippi, best known as the leader of the knight company, a band of confederate army deserters who resisted the confederacy during the civil war. The free state of jones true story reveals that newton knight enlisted in the army in the early fall of 1861. This rebellion against the southern republic centered on the infamous twenty negro law that exempted large slaveowners from the draft, raising the.
Jun 24, 2016 free state of jones hit theaters on june 24, and matthew mcconaughey takes on a civil war hero. Free state of jones, a movie thats based on a true storya story that is. This book also raises the issues of race and class before and since the reconstruction era in the south. How accurate is the new movie about the free state of jones. Written and directed by fourtime oscar nominee gary ross the hunger games, seabiscuit, pleasantville, and starring oscar winner matthew mcconaughey, free state of jones is an epic actiondrama set during the civil war, and tells the story of defiant southern farmer, newt knight, and his extraordinary armed rebellion against the confederacy. Jul 14, 2016 free state of jones, in stark contrast, generally gets the central historical narrative right and even manages to tell some complicated history in a moving and compelling manner.
Free state of jones the movie was partly inspired by the free. The main reason to delve into the history books after watching a movie. Nov 28, 2017 an honest look at the historical accuracy, directing, problems, and issues with the film the free state of jones by the cynical historian that was banned by the studio. This is doubly true in a movie like the free state of jones, whose protagonist, newt knight, left very little written record. To ask other readers questions about the free state of jones, please sign up. Newton knight and the legend of the free state of jones. Not the south that has been mythologized in novels and movies, but an authentic, hardscrabble place where poor men were forced to fight a rich mans war for slavery and cotton. Free state of jones by kathleen shelby boyett, july 12, 2017, searching mink publishing edition, paperback in english free state of jones. The american civil war has been combed over in popular culture countless times, but the true story that inspired the new film free state of jones, out friday, may still surprise some viewers. The free state of jones is clearly a story that needs to be told, and bynum has done impressive research to bring it to a modern audience.
Jun 23, 2016 but it involves a real historical time period, so its natural to wonder if free state of jones is a true story. We are forced to imagine what was in the mind of a man who led an audacious rebellion against the confederacy and continued to struggle against his former adversaries all the way through reconstruction. Banding together with other small farmers and local slaves, knight launched an uprising that led jones county, mississippi to secede from the confederacy, creating a free state of. It tells of a rebellion against the confederacy led by an angry farmer named newton knight, whose ragtag army of poor whites and escaped slaves declared a portion of southeastern mississippi, including jones county, independent and loyal to the union. An honest look at the historical accuracy, directing, problems, and issues with the film the free state of jones by the cynical historian that was banned by the studio. This book is well worth reading, as it is not much like the movie that was made from it.
The film is credited as being based on the books the free state of jones by victoria e. The free state of jones based on a true story duration. Jun 05, 2016 the story behind free state of jones share. Free state of jones is an epic actiondrama set during the civil war, and tells the story of defiant southern farmer, newt knight, and his e. Free state of jones the movie was partly inspired by the. She uses a wide range of social history sources to trace the long history not only of newt knight and his gang but also of their ancestors. I find that your book gives a fresh new look at the history and legacy of the newt knight clan. The real history behind the movie, plus finding newt knights grave with two jones countians who are in the film. The book introduced me to real people of the south, who did not own slaves.
Free state of jones is a 2016 american historical period war film inspired by the life of newton knight and his armed revolt against the confederacy in jones county, mississippi, throughout the. Adding further controversy to the legend is the story of newt knights interracial romance with his wartime accomplice, rachel, a slave. Less than a decade after mississippi became the countrys 20th state, settlers organized. Knight starts to question why hes fighting and for whom and, frankly, his purpose in a war that, to his eyes. Gary ross free state of jones is based on one of the most fascinating true stories of the civil war. As amazing as the concept is, the movie is in fact based on real events and a real man. Newton knight, petition to governor william sharkey, july 15, 1865. The story of the free state of jones in the state of mississippi which lead an insurrection against the confederacy during the us civil war. Free state of jones has the noblest of intentions, but they arent enough to make up for its stilted treatment of a fascinating reallife story. Free state of jones tells the story of a knightled rebellion against the confederacy in jones county, mississippi, whereby the county allegedly seceded and declared itself a free state. Jun 17, 2016 exploring the free state of jones and finding a grave. Exploring the free state of jones and finding a grave. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders.
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