Update: As of 05/12 inquiries have been made with the Richmond Times-Dispatch and Richmond Police. Mr. Rob Walker, who is the VCU student has also been contacted. Again, as of today nothing has appeared in the Richmond news about this incident. With the following words hanging over these unanswered questions let’s hope we can resolve [...]
Civil War Culture
Tomorrow is the 150th anniversary of Stonewall Jackson’s death. What follows is a short essay I originally intended for my column at the Atlantic. Unfortunately, my regular editor is out on maternity leave and there was no way to get it posted in time. No big deal. Here it is for your consideration. The commemoration [...]
Dear Mr. Vanderburg, Thanks for taking the time to read yesterday’s post and for your comments. As I stated in my response this is a subject that I’ve written and lectured on extensively over the past five years. The popularity of the black Confederate narrative highlights both the extent to which history has become democratized [...]
Today Cleveland.com [associated with the Cleveland Plain Dealer] is running a textbook example of how the myth of the Black Confederate soldier is spread. Start off with what appears to be an unusual story of two black individuals who play Confederate soldiers. Treat them as authorities in the relevant history and fail to do any [...]
I give you the new president of the National Rifle Association. Let’s just put aside for a second that from all appearances this guy is just bat shit crazy. [Sorry, but that really does seem appropriate given the level of paranoia expressed in this video.] Jim Porter doesn’t need a weapon. He needs a diagnosis. [...]
This story out of Hot Springs, South Dakota is truly bizarre and sad. Recently a couple of African Americans veterans, who were being treated for PTSD at a VA Hospital, complained about a display that included Confederate flags. Yeah, this is in South Dakota of all places. At the time the flags were removed and [...]
On the eve of the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Chancellorsville and we are already being subjected to a steady stream of interpretive flights of fancy surrounding the significance of Stonewall Jackson’s death. Although it was not evident at the time, some historians believe Jackson’s death began the ruin of the Confederacy. The Southern [...]
Not sure how I feel about the cover of the most recent issue of The Crisis, but it sure does grab your attention.