Comments on: Is Civil War News Reporting the News? http://cwmemory.com/2009/10/29/is-civil-war-new-reporting-the-news/ Where History, Heritage, and Education Intersect Sat, 11 Feb 2012 19:35:24 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: margaretdblough http://cwmemory.com/2009/10/29/is-civil-war-new-reporting-the-news/#comment-12733 margaretdblough Sat, 31 Oct 2009 11:19:04 +0000 http://cwmemory.com/?p=5295#comment-12733 The black confederate thing really is very old; it's closely intertwined with the faithful slave myth. It's been updated for modern consumption, though , with the service of the alleged black confederates increasingly being portrayed as the equivalent of Union combat veterans who were black. As David Blight's "Race and Reunion" analyzes the subject in detail, in its early days, the black confederate myth was much more blunt about the nature of the the services that they were allowed to provide (I suspect because there were too many people still living who knew the truth.). On page 289-290, he also discusses the legendary UDC historian general Mildred Lewis Rutherford of Athens, GA who kept a massive scrapbook collection that included the results of essay contests on faithful slaves and the glories of the KKK. Rutherford, who held the post from 1911-1916, also had a large collection of photographs and postcards. The difficulty is that the photos and postcard featured Klan members, what Blight describes as "especially 'loyal' ex-slaves, and lynchings. She had an extensive career as a lecturer-her two favorite subjects being the Confederacy and white supremacy. Blight includes a picture of Rutherford in the book-a very grandmotherly looking woman in her version of period dress. The black confederate thing really is very old; it's closely intertwined with the faithful slave myth. It's been updated for modern consumption, though , with the service of the alleged black confederates increasingly being portrayed as the equivalent of Union combat veterans who were black. As David Blight's “Race and Reunion” analyzes the subject in detail, in its early days, the black confederate myth was much more blunt about the nature of the the services that they were allowed to provide (I suspect because there were too many people still living who knew the truth.). On page 289-290, he also discusses the legendary UDC historian general Mildred Lewis Rutherford of Athens, GA who kept a massive scrapbook collection that included the results of essay contests on faithful slaves and the glories of the KKK. Rutherford, who held the post from 1911-1916, also had a large collection of photographs and postcards. The difficulty is that the photos and postcard featured Klan members, what Blight describes as “especially 'loyal' ex-slaves, and lynchings. She had an extensive career as a lecturer-her two favorite subjects being the Confederacy and white supremacy. Blight includes a picture of Rutherford in the book-a very grandmotherly looking woman in her version of period dress.

]]> By: margaretdblough http://cwmemory.com/2009/10/29/is-civil-war-new-reporting-the-news/#comment-11971 margaretdblough Sat, 31 Oct 2009 06:19:04 +0000 http://cwmemory.com/?p=5295#comment-11971 The black confederate thing really is very old; it's closely intertwined with the faithful slave myth. It's been updated for modern consumption, though , with the service of the alleged black confederates increasingly being portrayed as the equivalent of Union combat veterans who were black. As David Blight's "Race and Reunion" analyzes the subject in detail, in its early days, the black confederate myth was much more blunt about the nature of the the services that they were allowed to provide (I suspect because there were too many people still living who knew the truth.). On page 289-290, he also discusses the legendary UDC historian general Mildred Lewis Rutherford of Athens, GA who kept a massive scrapbook collection that included the results of essay contests on faithful slaves and the glories of the KKK. Rutherford, who held the post from 1911-1916, also had a large collection of photographs and postcards. The difficulty is that the photos and postcard featured Klan members, what Blight describes as "especially 'loyal' ex-slaves, and lynchings. She had an extensive career as a lecturer-her two favorite subjects being the Confederacy and white supremacy. Blight includes a picture of Rutherford in the book-a very grandmotherly looking woman in her version of period dress. The black confederate thing really is very old; it's closely intertwined with the faithful slave myth. It's been updated for modern consumption, though , with the service of the alleged black confederates increasingly being portrayed as the equivalent of Union combat veterans who were black. As David Blight's “Race and Reunion” analyzes the subject in detail, in its early days, the black confederate myth was much more blunt about the nature of the the services that they were allowed to provide (I suspect because there were too many people still living who knew the truth.). On page 289-290, he also discusses the legendary UDC historian general Mildred Lewis Rutherford of Athens, GA who kept a massive scrapbook collection that included the results of essay contests on faithful slaves and the glories of the KKK. Rutherford, who held the post from 1911-1916, also had a large collection of photographs and postcards. The difficulty is that the photos and postcard featured Klan members, what Blight describes as “especially 'loyal' ex-slaves, and lynchings. She had an extensive career as a lecturer-her two favorite subjects being the Confederacy and white supremacy. Blight includes a picture of Rutherford in the book-a very grandmotherly looking woman in her version of period dress.

]]> By: Kevin Levin http://cwmemory.com/2009/10/29/is-civil-war-new-reporting-the-news/#comment-11965 Kevin Levin Fri, 30 Oct 2009 21:07:25 +0000 http://cwmemory.com/?p=5295#comment-11965 I love that post on black Confederates by Craig Swain. Here is a link for those of you who missed it: <a href="http://cenantua.wordpress.com/2009/05/15/applying-ufology-techniques-to-the-search-for-black-confederates/" rel="nofollow">http://cenantua.wordpress.com/2009/05/15/applyi...</a> I love that post on black Confederates by Craig Swain. Here is a link for those of you who missed it: http://cenantua.wordpress.com/2009/05/15/applyi…

]]> By: Dan Wright http://cwmemory.com/2009/10/29/is-civil-war-new-reporting-the-news/#comment-11964 Dan Wright Fri, 30 Oct 2009 21:01:17 +0000 http://cwmemory.com/?p=5295#comment-11964 Since Craig Swain's comparison of Black Confederates to UFOs some months back, I can't get that image out of my mind. And I get a good laugh every time I read another post about Black Confederates. Since Craig Swain's comparison of Black Confederates to UFOs some months back, I can't get that image out of my mind. And I get a good laugh every time I read another post about Black Confederates.

]]> By: Kevin Levin http://cwmemory.com/2009/10/29/is-civil-war-new-reporting-the-news/#comment-11963 Kevin Levin Fri, 30 Oct 2009 20:56:07 +0000 http://cwmemory.com/?p=5295#comment-11963 Thanks for the kind words, but unfortunately, the SCV and others have been quite successful in pushing their preferred interpretation of the past on what is a gullible public. The myth of black Confederates has a very long and rich history. As always I highly recommend Bruce Levine's _Confederate Emancipation_ for those of you with a serious interest in this subject. Thanks for the kind words, but unfortunately, the SCV and others have been quite successful in pushing their preferred interpretation of the past on what is a gullible public. The myth of black Confederates has a very long and rich history. As always I highly recommend Bruce Levine's _Confederate Emancipation_ for those of you with a serious interest in this subject.

]]> By: Shane Christen http://cwmemory.com/2009/10/29/is-civil-war-new-reporting-the-news/#comment-11962 Shane Christen Fri, 30 Oct 2009 20:44:05 +0000 http://cwmemory.com/?p=5295#comment-11962 This is nothing new, the myth of the "Black Confederate" as an effort to paint the CS in a better light has been around for at least as long as this Blog. It is only really through the efforts of Kevin, others on the net and real historians that the modern Lost Cause movement hasn't been able to push their "Black Confederate" agenda into their own creative rewrite of history.<br><br>It is the novice or poorly read who are targeted by this agenda. Noone who has studied the Civil War in any capacity can credit the ridiculous claims of 65,000, 100,000 and even 200,000 black men fighting in the ranks of the CS as anything but poor fiction. More shame on Civil War News for allowing the fabrication to reach their pages. This is nothing new, the myth of the “Black Confederate” as an effort to paint the CS in a better light has been around for at least as long as this Blog. It is only really through the efforts of Kevin, others on the net and real historians that the modern Lost Cause movement hasn't been able to push their “Black Confederate” agenda into their own creative rewrite of history.

It is the novice or poorly read who are targeted by this agenda. Noone who has studied the Civil War in any capacity can credit the ridiculous claims of 65,000, 100,000 and even 200,000 black men fighting in the ranks of the CS as anything but poor fiction. More shame on Civil War News for allowing the fabrication to reach their pages.

]]> By: msimons http://cwmemory.com/2009/10/29/is-civil-war-new-reporting-the-news/#comment-11955 msimons Fri, 30 Oct 2009 13:54:38 +0000 http://cwmemory.com/?p=5295#comment-11955 It saddens me to see such misuse of the facts by the UDC. Until we can get better evidence of Blacks service in the CSA they need to stop this propaganda. Glad I did not spend the money to get this newspaper last year when they had a booth at an Renactment down here in TX. It saddens me to see such misuse of the facts by the UDC. Until we can get better evidence of Blacks service in the CSA they need to stop this propaganda. Glad I did not spend the money to get this newspaper last year when they had a booth at an Renactment down here in TX.

]]> By: margaretdblough http://cwmemory.com/2009/10/29/is-civil-war-new-reporting-the-news/#comment-11946 margaretdblough Fri, 30 Oct 2009 11:16:03 +0000 http://cwmemory.com/?p=5295#comment-11946 Actually, not a lot one way or the other, since that's pretty much what the US government which was controlled by their fellow Union soldierswho were white did after Reconstruction ended which I have long believed was more morally despicable than what white southerners did to blacks after the war ended. I doubt there were very many blacks living in former Confederate areas who expected any better from those who, but for the war, would still have been their masters. They had a right to expect better of former comradeds in arms. Actually, not a lot one way or the other, since that's pretty much what the US government which was controlled by their fellow Union soldierswho were white did after Reconstruction ended which I have long believed was more morally despicable than what white southerners did to blacks after the war ended. I doubt there were very many blacks living in former Confederate areas who expected any better from those who, but for the war, would still have been their masters. They had a right to expect better of former comradeds in arms.

]]> By: margaretdblough http://cwmemory.com/2009/10/29/is-civil-war-new-reporting-the-news/#comment-11947 margaretdblough Fri, 30 Oct 2009 11:08:01 +0000 http://cwmemory.com/?p=5295#comment-11947 Kevin=Unfortunately, the Civil War News has long had the reputation of pretty much printing whatever was sent it. The only person I saw doing real, substantive reporting was the late, much missed Deborah Fitts. Kevin=Unfortunately, the Civil War News has long had the reputation of pretty much printing whatever was sent it. The only person I saw doing real, substantive reporting was the late, much missed Deborah Fitts.

]]> By: Kevin Levin http://cwmemory.com/2009/10/29/is-civil-war-new-reporting-the-news/#comment-11942 Kevin Levin Fri, 30 Oct 2009 09:08:40 +0000 http://cwmemory.com/?p=5295#comment-11942 Thanks so much for taking the time to look them up. I can't say that I am surprised. Thanks so much for taking the time to look them up. I can’t say that I am surprised.

]]> By: Kevin Levin http://cwmemory.com/2009/10/29/is-civil-war-new-reporting-the-news/#comment-11944 Kevin Levin Fri, 30 Oct 2009 09:07:34 +0000 http://cwmemory.com/?p=5295#comment-11944 You are right, Marc. I should have pointed out that nothing in this story goes beyond an earlier article that was published by one of the area newspapers. You are right, Marc. I should have pointed out that nothing in this story goes beyond an earlier article that was published by one of the area newspapers.

]]> By: toby http://cwmemory.com/2009/10/29/is-civil-war-new-reporting-the-news/#comment-11943 toby Fri, 30 Oct 2009 08:44:54 +0000 http://cwmemory.com/?p=5295#comment-11943 Absolutely right. Furthermore, what does it say about the introduction of Jim Crow laws, and the foundations of the Ku Klux Klan? If blacks played such a large role in Confederate armies, then how treacherous and brutal to repay them by ostracization from the political rights, and from educational opportunity! Absolutely right. Furthermore, what does it say about the introduction of Jim Crow laws, and the foundations of the Ku Klux Klan? If blacks played such a large role in Confederate armies, then how treacherous and brutal to repay them by ostracization from the political rights, and from educational opportunity!

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