Papers by Christian O'Connell
International History Review, 2023
Following victory in Europe in World War II, African American troops of the Ninety-Second Infantr... more Following victory in Europe in World War II, African American troops of the Ninety-Second Infantry Division took part in a symbolic but relatively unknown ceremony returning the ashes of Christopher Columbus to the Italian city of Genoa. This event encapsulates the complicated experiences of the ‘Buffalo’ soldiers in Italy and their legacies. While the role of this rare Black combat unit was camouflaged by the mainstream press, for African Americans the Division captivated the hopes of ‘racial uplift’ that could come via the ideals of the ‘Double Victory’ against Fascism at home and abroad. While the patriotic character of the ceremony obscured the achievements of Black combat troops, the article suggests that veterans were active in agents in shaping ‘Double V’ memories which held Black patriotism and achievement in tension with the struggles they faced as African Americans in a segregated military. Importantly, by examining the return visits to Genoa alongside oral histories, the article argues these memories had a clear transatlantic dimension, which were underpinned by ideas of ‘colorblind’ Italians. The memories worked to underline the American identity of Black soldiers while acting as long-term reminders of American racism in the War.
The Lower High Street area is one of the oldest parts of Cheltenham, but its distinctive place in... more The Lower High Street area is one of the oldest parts of Cheltenham, but its distinctive place in the history of the town has often been neglected. In this film produced by Unit 1, researchers and former residents of the Lower High Street discuss the area’s past, present and future
International Journal of Regional and Local History, 2020
The University of Gloucestershire accepts no liability for any infringement of intellectual prope... more The University of Gloucestershire accepts no liability for any infringement of intellectual property rights in any material deposited but will remove such material from public view pending investigation in the event of an allegation of any such infringement.
History, 2021
This article attempts to explain the positive reception of Black troops in Europe by focusing on ... more This article attempts to explain the positive reception of Black troops in Europe by focusing on the relatively underexplored case of the Italian campaign in the Second World War. It suggests that African American GIs actively nurtured positive relationships with Italian civilians in a number of ways that are hidden in official military documentation, but are detectable through testimonies, photographs, newspaper reports, veteran's surveys, and in Italian sources. By being more generous with their resources, befriending families, making efforts to learn the language, and often defying prevalent military attitudes that portrayed Italians as untrustworthy, African American GIs not only experienced liberal European attitudes, but actively fostered those attitudes by exploiting social opportunities so that they were seen as ‘goodwill ambassadors’ by the black press and by Italians. African American troops, particularly from poorer backgrounds, overcame the language barrier and formed ties with Italians worst affected by the war through empathy and a sense of shared experience. Cultivating these relationships was particularly significant given the context of racial discrimination in the American military, a situation that was compounded by the presence of Fascist and Nazi anti-black propaganda, which coexisted with Italian racial attitudes that ranged from fascination to fear, especially when it came to relations with Italian women.
Journal of American Studies, 2017
This article examines a series of British travel documentaries on the American South made since 2... more This article examines a series of British travel documentaries on the American South made since 2008 which are representative of the way in which southern distinctiveness is maintained through television within a transatlantic context. The travelogues focus on historic racial struggles, southern food, and music, and frame the South as a distinctly historical space, where either historical moments obscure the contemporary South, or cultural continuity and resistance to change and modernity are celebrated. The article also discusses the similarities between the travelogues and the southern tourist industry, and how transatlantic “televisual tourism” works against the wider scholarly challenge to southern exceptionalism.
Folk, Blues, and National Identities, 2012
History: the Journal of the Historical Association, 2021
This article attempts to explain the positive reception of Black troops in Europe by focusing on ... more This article attempts to explain the positive reception of Black troops in Europe by focusing on the relatively underexplored case of the Italian campaign in the Second World War. It suggests that African American GIs actively nurtured positive relationships with Italian civilians in a number of ways that are hidden in official military documentation, but are detectable through testimonies, photographs, newspaper reports, veteran's surveys, and in Italian sources. By being more generous with their resources, befriending families, making efforts to learn the language, and often defying prevalent military attitudes that portrayed Italians as untrustworthy, African American GIs not only experienced liberal European attitudes, but actively fostered those attitudes by exploiting social opportunities so that they were seen as ‘goodwill ambassadors’ by the black press and by Italians. African American troops, particularly from poorer backgrounds, overcame the language barrier and formed ties with Italians worst affected by the war through empathy and a sense of shared experience. Cultivating these relationships was particularly significant given the context of racial discrimination in the American military, a situation that was compounded by the presence of Fascist and Nazi anti-black propaganda, which coexisted with Italian racial attitudes that ranged from fascination to fear, especially when it came to relations with Italian women.
Essays that track identity and authenticity in blues and folk music that crossed the ocean With e... more Essays that track identity and authenticity in blues and folk music that crossed the ocean With essays by Duck Baker, Robert H. Cataliotti, Ronald D. Cohen, John Hughes, Will Kaufman, Andrew Kellett, Erich Nunn, Christian O'Connell, Paul Oliver, David Sanjek, Roberta Freund Schwartz, Jill Terry, Brian Ward, and Neil A. Wynn Transatlantic Roots Music presents a collection of essays on the debates about origins, authenticity, and identity in folk and blues music. These essays originated in an international conference on the transatlantic paths of American roots music, out of which emerged common themes and questions of origins and authenticity in folk music, be it black or white, American or British. While the central theme of the collection is musical influences, issues of national, local, and racial identity are also recurring subjects. Were these identities invented, imagined, constructed by the performers, or by those who recorded the music for posterity? The book features a n...
Recent revisionist studies have argued that much of what is known about music known as the blues’... more Recent revisionist studies have argued that much of what is known about music known as the blues’ has been 'invented' by the writing of enthusiasts far removed from the African American culture that created the music. Elijah Wald and Marybeth Hamilton in particular have attempted to sift through the clouds of romanticism, and tried to unveil more empirical histories that were previously obscured by the fallacious genre distinctions conjured up during the 1960s blues revival. While this revisionist scholarship has shed light on some previously ignored historical facts, writers have tended to concentrate on the romanticism of blues writing strictly from an American perspective, failing to acknowledge the genesis and influence of transatlantic scholarship, and therefore ignoring the work of the most prolific and influential blues scholar of the twentieth century, British writer Paul Oliver. By examining the core of Oliver’s research and writing during the 1950s and 1960s, this ...
The Lower High Street is home to some of the most interesting stories in the area. During 2016 an... more The Lower High Street is home to some of the most interesting stories in the area. During 2016 and 2017, our researchers focused on recording memories from people who lived and worked in the community. Exploring aspects of life from shops to spirituality, from butchers to back street boxing bouts.
Journal of American Studies
Journal of American Studies, 2015
The University of Gloucestershire accepts no liability for any infringement of intellectual prope... more The University of Gloucestershire accepts no liability for any infringement of intellectual property rights in any material deposited but will remove such material from public view pending investigation in the event of an allegation of any such infringement.
Journal of American Studies, 2012
International Journal of Regional and Local History, 2020
The article discusses a collaborative local history project in Cheltenham Spa’s Lower High Street... more The article discusses a collaborative local history project in Cheltenham Spa’s Lower High Street, an area that has suffered from “symbolic annihilation” through a long history of stigmatisation at the expense the town’s Regency-era heritage. Residents’ testimonies give voice to marginalised experiences that help to establish the area’s distinctive “sense of place,” which is rooted in shared experiences of exclusion, hardship and community cohesion. Through nostalgic recollections, they also reveal a significant grassroots willingness to challenge the exclusionary practices of Cheltenham’s dominant and exclusionary Regency narrative. However, present concerns about ethnic diversity and urban decay also exposed contemporary anxieties that are indicative of the broader context of Britain in the EU referendum era. While offering a “history from below,” the paper also considers how universities operating as “anchor” institutions can help to address contemporary issues of social alienation and spatial inequality by fostering a greater appreciation of the past.
Journal of American Studies, 2019
This article examines a series of British travel documentaries on the American South made since 2... more This article examines a series of British travel documentaries on the American South made since 2008 by presenters such as Stephen Fry, Trevor McDonald, Hugh Laurie, Rick Stein and Jamie Oliver. These travelogues are representative of the way in which Southern distinctiveness is maintained through television within a transatlantic context. They focus on historic racial struggles, Southern food, and music, and frame the South as a distinctly historical space, where either historical moments obscure the contemporary South, or where cultural continuity and resistance to change and modernity are celebrated. The article also discusses the similarities between the travelogues and the Southern tourist industry, and how transatlantic ‘televisual tourism’ works against the wider scholarly challenge to Southern exceptionalism.
Uploads
Papers by Christian O'Connell