Slavery and Public History (Talk about timing...)

I'm taking an American Historiography class at Villanova and the topic I selected for my paper was Thomas Jefferson and Slavery so the "Slavery and Public History" assignment was timed perfectly. (By the way, read Garry Wills' book "Negro President" if you ever have the chance.) 

All of the authors do a great job of illustrating the difficulty of raising the subject of slavery - and by extension race - in Public History. However, I think part of the reason why people are uncomfortable with slavery is directly related to the fact it hasn't been adequately taught in our schools and as a result people are uncomfortable talking about. This fear of the unknown leads to people being reluctant to discuss slavery. Even worse, those that do (like Rush Limbaugh) express opinions that are either wrong or ill informed which only adds more fuel to the fire... I understand why African Americans view it as the "last great taboo subject," but I think in the long run no one is served by that attitude. 

Now for some specifics:

 

Vlach's article on the "Back of the Big House" exhibit at the Library of Congress is pretty interesting. I mean its one thing to offend the public but the employees of the Library of Congress? The people at the DC Public Library seemed to have an open mind... 

Nash's "For Whom Will The Liberty Toll" (aside from the half-baked, Hemingway reference in the title) was interesting. However, the Federal Government doesn't like surprises so I wonder how much of the resistance by Independence National Historic Park had to do with the topic of slavery versus the fact that the plans for the proposed exhibit most likely flew in the face of the INHP's budget and planning. Nash doesn't touch on this at all. Cheers to all the public historians though for their role in this episode. 

Lois Horton's "Avoiding History" is a good summation of the Thomas Jefferson/Sally Hemmings story and the way slavery is being presented at Monticello. Coincidentally, I happened to visit Monticello ten years ago. The tour guide acknowledged that the two "most likely" had at least one child together but that there very little known about their relationship and much of what has been written is speculation. 

McGraw's "Southern Comfort Levels" was really interesting. The Neo- Confederate movement doesn't like want a statue of Lincoln because its emblematic of the the South's defeat. But a portrait of Robert E. Lee (the General who was actually defeated!) is acceptable. The Arthur Ashe statue is great idea but but don't put it next to the statues of the Confederate Generals... 

The discussion on slavery needs to start in Richmond. 

Pitcaithley's "Cosmic Threat" talks about addressing slavery as one of the causes of the Civil War. Of course it should be addressed, as frequently and in as many places as possible. 

As for Levine's "Usable Past"Its seems to me that too many people are concerned with the past only to the extent that they can "use" it for their own purposes. History though doesn't - or shouldn't - work that way. We need to understand the past - and in the case of slavery as much as possible - in order to move forward. Isn't that the best use? We should study the African - Americans in the Civil war both Union and Confederate and try to understand the "how" and "why" behind their actions.