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4.5
The author tackles the subject of historical markers and sites that put historical fact at the mercy of boosterism, reactionaries, and the insidious machinations of Dr. Octopus.James Loewen examined historical markers across the country and is urging people to get involved in the process and try and bring some balance to often rediculous but unchallenged claims. The examples are frequently staggering.Lost Cause boosters spread their propaganda with statues saluting the Confederacy...even in states which didn't exist at the time. (The Lost Cause, by the way, is a rosy view of the Confederate experience which mixes images of mint juleps, Civil War reverses, and alleged Reconstruction injustice, while studiously ignoring slavery).Southern counties that were Unionist (like the "state of Jones" in Mississippi where a mini-war bloomed) have been so drenched in post-Civil War rebel propaganda, complete with their very own General Jubal T. Cornpone statues, that people today, with an abysmal knowledge of history to begin with, don't realize they support a Lost Cause in a county which rejected the Confederate cause, even to the point of guerrilla war. (As an example, the entire state of Kentucky was actually a northern state even if there were regiments raised in the state which served in the south).Stone Mountain, Georgia, which depicts the carved likenesses of Lee, Jackson, and Jefferson Davis, was instigated by Klowns of the KKK. The klan held a gathering on top of the mountain in 1915 to resurrect the organization.On the other hand, no historical marker is to be found at Rosewood, Florida, where the largely black population of the small town were attacked in 1923 by thugs hunting for a black convict who'd escaped from a road crew and many killed. The state of Florida at least finally acknowledged the atrocity with legislation that compensated survivors and provided college scholarships for descendants. Regrettably, opponents of that proposal co-opted the idea of a marker as a cheaper alternative. Seems overdue.There's plenty on the Civil War, like the Texas Confederates of Gainesville who hanged their Unionist neighbors. Loewen also notes the numerous markers in Richmond, but none to note that Lincoln came to Richmond after the Confederate capitol fell, to a tremendous reception by Southern civilians imprisoned by the rebels, poor whites, free blacks, Union POWs, and former slaves who all celebrated the president's visit. Although the North gets the rap for burning Richmond, it was Confederates who set the fires as they were departing and the fire got out of hand, to be put out by pursuing Union soldiers. But don't hold your breath for a marker noting the march of the 28th US Colored Infantry down Broad Street.There are numerous examples that do not touch on the Civil War, slavery or black/white racial issues, but the fact is there are many of those from an annual Kake Walk in blackface at a Vermont college which didn't end until 1969 to an Underground Railroad in which free blacks were kidnapped in the North and sent South to be sold into slavery.Other excesses are noted from other periods of our history. There's the stamp that shows George Washington praying at Valley Forge, an act invented by the notorious unhistorical writings of Parson Weems, there's the home of the country's only reputedly gay president James Buchanan, the drum-beating anglophile bias of the Mayflower pilgrim late arrivals, the unflyable Texas airship touted by locals as the first flying machine, and the statues of famous people whose mounts received a sex change operation from the sculptor to make stallions of what were actually mares.You won't agree with everything. Some of the entries you'll find nitpicking, some of the political orientation you'll find clashes with your own inclinations, but many of the author's observations are on target amnd will get a rise out of you. Great book. You'll find a lot of wierdness here and some very thoughtful material.
