“Unseemly or Unfeminine Ways”

God (or Goddess) forbid that we, as women, should ever act in “unseemly or unfeminine ways.” But those were the words of recruiters of women as nurses and volunteers during the Civil War. Since war is so ugly and brutal and bloody, unfeminine women would do a better job. Women are naturally feminine. That’s who we are. But we can and do, set aside that femininity to get certain jobs done. Any imaginable horrific situation during the Civil War would be best handled without worrying about femininity. Unseemly, well now, that’s a different story.

Suellen Ocean is the author of the Civil War Era Historic Romance, Black Pansy:

Genealogy… Native Americans’ Caribbean Fate

There were those within Native American communities, who understood English. Or Dutch. Or French. Or any of the other languages used by slavers. There was brisk trading between Europeans and many tribes. Particularly, furs. So, as these two groups conducted business, they also shared stories. Of interest to the Natives, was who they should fear would steal them from their families, and where would they be taken. Upon hearing nightmare scenarios about the Caribbean plantations where many captured Natives were sent, they fought hard against their oppressors, believing that death was better than the fate that awaited them.

Suellen Ocean is the author of Secret Genealogy IV – Native Americans Hidden in Our Family Trees: