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There are similar examples in Major Dundee (1965). Following one racial incident, when aConfederate soldier tries to provoke the African American sergeant, Aesop, by remindinghim of his former slave status, the Confederate captain compliments Aesop publicly on hisactions earlier in the day. This does not happen in the book where Aesop just 'meltsaway.' Towards the end of the film, when Aesop and a Confederate soldier are observing1 8the French soldiers, Aesop confidently remarks that he and his 'boys can take that outfit.'The Confederate agrees and Aesop replies 'they've never been South.' With thisconspiratorial and inclusive comment they look at each other and laugh. 19Major Dundee was the first film since The Birth of a Nation in which African Americansoldiers were seen to be engaged in military activities during the Civil War. 20 It wasfollowed by Shenandoah (1965), which also contained African American and southernwhite reconciliation in the friendship of two boys: Gabriel, the African American slave andBoy, the youngest son of the white Anderson family. Boy had taken to wearing aConfederate cap that he had found, so when Union troops come upon them, Boy isconsidered a Rebel and is taken away, while Gabriel is told, by a light-skinned AfricanAmerican soldier, that he is free. 21 The two boys later meet on the battlefield. Boy liesinjured. Gabriel is about to bayonet him when he recognises Boy and carries him to safety-just like his angel namesake or as the 'faithful slave.' However, their past relationshipwas one of mutual friendship and Boy came from a family that did not own slaves nor hadany wish to do so. Gabriel's action therefore is one of humanity and compassion enlargedto a symbol of reconciliation - the extension of the hand of friendship between the races.These films coincided with the high point of the Civil Rights Movement: the Civil RightAct (1964), the Voting Rights Act (1965), Johnson's 'unconditional war on poverty' andthe creation of a 'Great Society,' which would also end 'racial injustice,' and theImmigration Reform Act (1965). 22 Two years later the Supreme Court ruled that any statelaws forbidding marriage between people of different races were unconstitutional. 23 Theconcept of American national identity as being white and European was being replaced bya 'pluralist civic definition of Americanism.' 24 At the same time the centennial celebrationsfizzled out with only about 5,000 people attending the last ceremony at Appomattox CourtHouse where Lee had surrendered to Grant. The memory of the Civil War had changed_ ^ c __ _and the theme of unity needed revising to include the memory of all Americans. But whilethe framework of racial justice was being established, the hope of continuing progress121