Slavery and Public History examines how the general public views slavery and its connection to the creation of our country though ten articles illustrating examples of how slavery is portrayed in public spaces and how it is being discussed. The overarching argument that facing the difficult issues and events from the past can promote healing and discussion about their connection to today’s issues of race and class is one that’s hard to contend with after reading about the success many of these places have achieved by encouraging discourse through the presentation of various points of view at their sites. The emphasis is on more integration of the story of slavery into historic sites: museums, battlefields, parks, etc. By recognizing the not-so-pretty part of the past and bringing it in to the open instead of glossing over it, we can recognize a more truthful portrayal of history and be open to new discourse and education on the topic. It was encouraging to read about Brown University’s open discussions on its connection to slavery, forming a committee meant for “study and education program” (Melish, 124). I found it astonishing that some people are practically inventing the past to justify certain actions, such as in the final chapter, “In Search of a Usable Past” by Bruce Levine in which he looks at the Black-Confederate campaign and its supporters. He writes, “They will not acknowledge any of these things because they are determined not to do so” (Levine, 211). This goes to show that education needs to be a major focus in places portraying the past, that we have a responsibility to try and present all sides of the story.
There were a few instances in which the authors noted the argument some people have about keeping the discussion of slavery in a school setting rather than bringing it into exhibitions. I disagree, especially after our talk in class about learning about the Civil War in school and from reading books such as Lies My Teacher Told Me (which includes two chapters on the discussion of racism and the Civil War in classrooms). There is definite power in the physical place where history happened, and those places have the potential to spark intelligent conversation about their place in the past. In the epilogue, Linenthal writes, “The conviction is that somehow places speak…” (223). In the chapter about the NPS, I was encouraged when I read about their goals to present more on the topic of slavery in relations to battlefields and the like. Another example of a positive educational event is the reenactment of a slave auction at Williamsburg and the feedback the institution received in the chapter “Slavery in American History.” One of the conclusions the book draws is that we are moving in a positive direction when it comes to discussing slavery and its implications. Considering the examples given here, I tend to agree.
You perfectly addressed the main issues of the text. I enjoyed your discussion on presenting a complex, “not-so-pretty part” of history and the importance of using public history sites as a teaching tool. I shared in your astonishment over the invention of history among various groups. With the facts presented in this text and widely available in our culture, whether it be online, in books at the local bookstore, or in documentaries, it seems unfathomable that anyone could create such histories. The issue of people’s misinterpretations of history signifies a discrepancy in the teaching of history. As discussed in class today, these were the histories taught in schools in the past. The older generations may hold onto their school day histories which is why public history sites are so important. They are able to reach larger and older audiences than school systems. As you stated that you were encouraged by the NPS’s goal to present the topic of slavery at its parks, this is an important turning point in America’s interpretation of history especially regarding slavery, race, and the Civil War.
ReplyDeleteThere were a number of cultural paradoxes in this book that show how relevant to our current cultural dialogue the history of this topic is. The Black-Confederate campaign was one in a long line of revisionist histories which attempted to bury rather than address this painful history. It seems the moral of the story is that Americans must address the history in order to truly show that our culture is interested in righting the current social conditions.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your summary of the argument that the book discusses the difficulty of incorporating slavery into public places so that slavery is an avaliable topic of discussion. This discussion as seen in the many examples in the book has been left out of most areas in public space in fear of being offensive and a hard topic to portray. Another point I found in the book related to yours was the fact that some places were willing to address the topic and the community overall responded positively if the exhibit was inclusive. The main problem the community had I thought was the area not addressing the topic fully when there was an attempt to include slavery or just the point that african americans or slaves were present in the area. The book proved this topic a difficult one to discuss in the United States.
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