Virginia School Textbook: Thousands of Slaves Fought for the Confederacy

The Washington Post reports that a history textbook used in 4th grade classrooms in Virgina says that "thousands" of black soldiers fought for the Confederate army. According to the textbook, Our Virginia: Past and Present, "Thousands of Southern blacks fought in the Confederate ranks, including two black battalions under the command of Stonewall Jackson."

The Post report says that the author relied on historically biased websites, including the Sons of the Confederate Veterans.

In its article, the Post quotes Princeton historian James McPherson, who says, "These Confederate heritage groups have been making this claim for years as a way of purging their cause of its association with slavery."

In the war over the next generation's minds, textbooks have been the source of controversy in numerous states, including and especially Texas.

Our Virginia: Past and Present was recommended by the education superintendent for review in January 2010 and presented to the Board of Education for final review in March 2010. The Virginia Education Department deemed the book "accurate and unbiased."