“This volume contains an incredible variety of grassroots information on slavery, emancipation, and freedmen, including postwar Black leaders...delightful and very informative."

—Southwestern Historical Quarterly

"Swenson, Henderson, and Bubb have compiled an invaluable collection of history from the largest Freedom Colony in Washington County, Texas. These stories shine a light on the life of Texas Blacks after Emancipation and, though they occur during the worst days of segregation, the stories are brimming with hope and humanity. It is a worthwhile read for people far beyond Southeast Central Texas."

—Mike Vance, author of Undertold Texas and the Duckworth historical crime novels

“Charles Swenson’s Voice of Camptown is a well-researched and much needed history of Washington County, Texas. His attention to individuals whose stories are untold draws on a rich historical record, particularly contemporary newspapers, and local oral histories. I look forward to using Swenson’s work in my college classroom.”

— Amy Earhart, acting director, Center of Digital Humanities Research and associate professor of English, Texas A&M University