Comments on: “History Through the Veil Again”: A Response to Ta-Nehisi Coates http://cwmemory.com/2009/08/18/history-through-the-veil-again-a-response-to-ta-nehisi-coates/ Where History, Heritage, and Education Intersect Thu, 24 May 2012 01:47:06 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: johnny http://cwmemory.com/2009/08/18/history-through-the-veil-again-a-response-to-ta-nehisi-coates/#comment-11234 johnny Tue, 22 Sep 2009 18:48:34 +0000 http://cwmemory.com/?p=4486#comment-11234 Do you not know what the cause was? SOUTHERN INDEPENDENCE! My ancestors were confederate soldiers, they owned no slaves. They fought for independence from the north. I have a right to be proud of the sacrifices my family gave for thier homeland. I am not going to say that slavery wasn't the core issue but there were other issues too. In the past years an agenda has been pushed by several groups to wipe out reminders of the Confederacy and to villify everything connected to it. History is never just black and white but several shades of gray. My shade of gray is confederate gray, yours may be union blue. If you are upset there is no markers for black troops fine do something about it instead of running your mouth, I will gladly give some money toward a monument for them, I think all soldiers brave enough to fight should have a monument no matter thier color or allegience. Do not belittle my ancestors and I will not belittle yours. Do you not know what the cause was? SOUTHERN INDEPENDENCE! My ancestors were confederate soldiers, they owned no slaves. They fought for independence from the north. I have a right to be proud of the sacrifices my family gave for thier homeland. I am not going to say that slavery wasn’t the core issue but there were other issues too. In the past years an agenda has been pushed by several groups to wipe out reminders of the Confederacy and to villify everything connected to it. History is never just black and white but several shades of gray. My shade of gray is confederate gray, yours may be union blue. If you are upset there is no markers for black troops fine do something about it instead of running your mouth, I will gladly give some money toward a monument for them, I think all soldiers brave enough to fight should have a monument no matter thier color or allegience. Do not belittle my ancestors and I will not belittle yours.

]]> By: Kevin Levin http://cwmemory.com/2009/08/18/history-through-the-veil-again-a-response-to-ta-nehisi-coates/#comment-10580 Kevin Levin Thu, 20 Aug 2009 19:31:12 +0000 http://cwmemory.com/?p=4486#comment-10580 Peter, I meant to say that I think it is possible for the African American community to organize for the purpose of a USCT monument. In that sense I also agree with Mike that the NAACP should stop wasting their time with the flag issue. Peter,

I meant to say that I think it is possible for the African American community to organize for the purpose of a USCT monument. In that sense I also agree with Mike that the NAACP should stop wasting their time with the flag issue.

]]> By: Peter http://cwmemory.com/2009/08/18/history-through-the-veil-again-a-response-to-ta-nehisi-coates/#comment-10579 Peter Thu, 20 Aug 2009 19:19:53 +0000 http://cwmemory.com/?p=4486#comment-10579 Of course a monument to the USCT is possible, but I took Coates's "we" in the contexts I cited in terms of the African-American community, rather than America as a whole ("half is honoring _our_ history"). So while NPS may have taken great strides to correct "mythology," the difficulty with installing a truly meaningful monument to the USCT would have to involve motivation within the African-American community. So, yes, the NPS and scholars have reached out to the African-American community, but I think Coates points out that more than "a step or two" on their part is needed, as you point out. But obviously, we aren't yet at the point where a monument to USCT could be organized and I see Coates's post as a call for action in that direction. Of course a monument to the USCT is possible, but I took Coates’s “we” in the contexts I cited in terms of the African-American community, rather than America as a whole (“half is honoring _our_ history”). So while NPS may have taken great strides to correct “mythology,” the difficulty with installing a truly meaningful monument to the USCT would have to involve motivation within the African-American community. So, yes, the NPS and scholars have reached out to the African-American community, but I think Coates points out that more than “a step or two” on their part is needed, as you point out. But obviously, we aren’t yet at the point where a monument to USCT could be organized and I see Coates’s post as a call for action in that direction.

]]> By: Kevin Levin http://cwmemory.com/2009/08/18/history-through-the-veil-again-a-response-to-ta-nehisi-coates/#comment-10578 Kevin Levin Thu, 20 Aug 2009 18:45:49 +0000 http://cwmemory.com/?p=4486#comment-10578 Peter, It's an excellent point and one that hopefully comes through in the post. Clearly, we are at the point where action is possible along the lines outlined by Coates. I have no doubt that a monument to USCTs could be organized at the Crater with little difficulty. Other projects abound. Peter,

It’s an excellent point and one that hopefully comes through in the post. Clearly, we are at the point where action is possible along the lines outlined by Coates. I have no doubt that a monument to USCTs could be organized at the Crater with little difficulty. Other projects abound.

]]> By: Peter http://cwmemory.com/2009/08/18/history-through-the-veil-again-a-response-to-ta-nehisi-coates/#comment-10572 Peter Thu, 20 Aug 2009 14:59:45 +0000 http://cwmemory.com/?p=4486#comment-10572 Kevin, I think Mike maybe offers the most perceptive reading of Coates's piece, or at least what I take his meaning as, shorn of its more insulting aspects. This part of Coates's writing strikes me as the argumentative heart of the article: "There was no monument to the colored troops who died there, and for that I felt blame. The Lost Cause is, to be sure, mythology. And yet I’ve come to a point of respect for its authors, for their understanding, perverted as it may be, that they must honor their heroes, that they can’t wait on others to do it for them. It’s a lesson we could take to heart. Half of the battle is correcting their mythology, the other half is honoring our own history." And of course the final line: "We have the material out there. We've got to start honoring it. " It would seem to me, at least, that in light of these statements, whatever the NPS does in the way of interpretation is beside the point. Kevin,
I think Mike maybe offers the most perceptive reading of Coates’s piece, or at least what I take his meaning as, shorn of its more insulting aspects.
This part of Coates’s writing strikes me as the argumentative heart of the article:
“There was no monument to the colored troops who died there, and for that I felt blame. The Lost Cause is, to be sure, mythology. And yet I’ve come to a point of respect for its authors, for their understanding, perverted as it may be, that they must honor their heroes, that they can’t wait on others to do it for them. It’s a lesson we could take to heart. Half of the battle is correcting their mythology, the other half is honoring our own history.”
And of course the final line: “We have the material out there. We’ve got to start honoring it. ” It would seem to me, at least, that in light of these statements, whatever the NPS does in the way of interpretation is beside the point.

]]> By: Kevin Levin http://cwmemory.com/2009/08/18/history-through-the-veil-again-a-response-to-ta-nehisi-coates/#comment-10566 Kevin Levin Thu, 20 Aug 2009 09:35:21 +0000 http://cwmemory.com/?p=4486#comment-10566 Adam, Sounds like an interesting project. Adam,

Sounds like an interesting project.

]]> By: Adam Arenson http://cwmemory.com/2009/08/18/history-through-the-veil-again-a-response-to-ta-nehisi-coates/#comment-10565 Adam Arenson Thu, 20 Aug 2009 04:03:40 +0000 http://cwmemory.com/?p=4486#comment-10565 Very nice reflection. I've been working on an essay on the efforts of the National Park Service and others to bring the concerns "beyond the battlefield," in Frederick Douglass's phrase and David Blight's usage -- slavery, gender, civilian experiences, social history -- back to the battlefield. I think sesquicentennial commemorations and new exhibits will work best when they engage these larger concerns while documenting how they were expressed on the battlefields. Kevin, as you have discussed, Chandra Manning's book and the new Gettysburg visitor center seem to be leading in this direction. Very nice reflection.

I’ve been working on an essay on the efforts of the National Park Service and others to bring the concerns “beyond the battlefield,” in Frederick Douglass’s phrase and David Blight’s usage — slavery, gender, civilian experiences, social history — back to the battlefield. I think sesquicentennial commemorations and new exhibits will work best when they engage these larger concerns while documenting how they were expressed on the battlefields.

Kevin, as you have discussed, Chandra Manning’s book and the new Gettysburg visitor center seem to be leading in this direction.

]]> By: Mike http://cwmemory.com/2009/08/18/history-through-the-veil-again-a-response-to-ta-nehisi-coates/#comment-10564 Mike Thu, 20 Aug 2009 03:19:45 +0000 http://cwmemory.com/?p=4486#comment-10564 Mr. Coats needs to call his national NAACP chapter and tell them instead of wasting money over weither the Battle Flag flys on the SC Captial Grounds on a Confederate Monument they should be like us who honor our hallowed dead by giving money to build monuments to service for a cause we hold was right. Mr. Coats needs to call his national NAACP chapter and tell them instead of wasting money over weither the Battle Flag flys on the SC Captial Grounds on a Confederate Monument they should be like us who honor our hallowed dead by giving money to build monuments to service for a cause we hold was right.

]]> By: Kevin Levin http://cwmemory.com/2009/08/18/history-through-the-veil-again-a-response-to-ta-nehisi-coates/#comment-10562 Kevin Levin Thu, 20 Aug 2009 01:32:19 +0000 http://cwmemory.com/?p=4486#comment-10562 Chris, I couldn't agree with you more. There is a monument to USCTs at Petersburg, but it is located at one of the earlier stops where USCTs were more successful in some of the earlier Union attacks against the city's defenses. Still, I would love to see a monument at the Crater site. Chris,

I couldn’t agree with you more. There is a monument to USCTs at Petersburg, but it is located at one of the earlier stops where USCTs were more successful in some of the earlier Union attacks against the city’s defenses. Still, I would love to see a monument at the Crater site.

]]> By: Chris Meekins http://cwmemory.com/2009/08/18/history-through-the-veil-again-a-response-to-ta-nehisi-coates/#comment-10561 Chris Meekins Thu, 20 Aug 2009 01:29:46 +0000 http://cwmemory.com/?p=4486#comment-10561 Optimistically I would say that we remain fortunate that the landscape, both intellectual and physical, is still open for interpretation - waysides can help fill both voids but I would dearly love to see a movement for monuments for USCT, dedicated by the entire community. Commemoration is the very essence of the chance to educate and we settle for something less than full if we fail to seize the initiative and act on that chance. What a watershed the 150th could be if every US battlefield or park, where appropriate, dedicated a monument. Optimistically I would say that we remain fortunate that the landscape, both intellectual and physical, is still open for interpretation – waysides can help fill both voids but I would dearly love to see a movement for monuments for USCT, dedicated by the entire community. Commemoration is the very essence of the chance to educate and we settle for something less than full if we fail to seize the initiative and act on that chance. What a watershed the 150th could be if every US battlefield or park, where appropriate, dedicated a monument.

]]> By: Rob Wick http://cwmemory.com/2009/08/18/history-through-the-veil-again-a-response-to-ta-nehisi-coates/#comment-10559 Rob Wick Wed, 19 Aug 2009 22:39:22 +0000 http://cwmemory.com/?p=4486#comment-10559 Kevin, This is why I have pretty well stopped going to Civil War discussion boards, which seem top-heavy with neo-Confederates and Lost Causers intent on spreading their "heritage" nonsense and the silly notion that the Confederacy wasn't fighting to preserve slavery. After a while, I finally was physically tired of reading it. If that can happen to me--a white man who hasn't experienced the trials and tribulations of growing up black--I can begin to understand how those like Coates would feel when they are in such a place like Petersburg. And I must add that I like his point about the Confederate remembrances. It's all too true. Best Rob Kevin,
This is why I have pretty well stopped going to Civil War discussion boards, which seem top-heavy with neo-Confederates and Lost Causers intent on spreading their “heritage” nonsense and the silly notion that the Confederacy wasn’t fighting to preserve slavery. After a while, I finally was physically tired of reading it. If that can happen to me–a white man who hasn’t experienced the trials and tribulations of growing up black–I can begin to understand how those like Coates would feel when they are in such a place like Petersburg. And I must add that I like his point about the Confederate remembrances. It’s all too true.

Best
Rob

]]> By: Kevin Levin http://cwmemory.com/2009/08/18/history-through-the-veil-again-a-response-to-ta-nehisi-coates/#comment-10550 Kevin Levin Wed, 19 Aug 2009 01:25:14 +0000 http://cwmemory.com/?p=4486#comment-10550 You are very welcome. You are very welcome.

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