Joseph P. Reidy

Joseph P. Reidy (born 1948) is an American historian of the American Civil War. He is a professor emeritus and retired associate provost at Howard University. Reidy earned a BA in sociology from Villanova University and went on to receive his MA in 1974 and PhD in 1982, both from Northern Illinois University. His research focuses on the transition from slavery to freedom in central Georgia, as well as the pursuit of freedom and equality during the twilight of slavery. Reidy has published books such as 'Illusions of Emancipation: The Pursuit of Freedom and Equality in the Twilight of Slavery' and 'From Slavery to Agrarian Capitalism in the Cotton Plantation South, Central Georgia 1800-1880.' He has also co-edited 'The Black Military Experience' as part of the documentary history series 'Freedom: A Documentary History of Emancipation, 1861-1865.'