Teaching

Visualizing the Lost Cause

by Kevin Levin on February 15, 2009 · 9 comments · Follow me on

in Civil War Culture, Civil War Memory Class, Memory, Slavery, Teaching

Check out the excellent video that Caitlin, from Vast Public Indifference, put together in response to one of my recent posts on Civil War art.  Caitlin’s commentary begins around 2:10.  The video is here, but I encourage you to read her full post, which includes another video.  Does anyone really believe that the images in [...]

Why I Love My Job

by Kevin Levin on February 13, 2009 · 10 comments · Follow me on

in Teaching

This semester I am working with a senior on an independent study, which focuses on the admittance of female students to the University of Virginia in the early 1970s.  The student in question has already been accepted by UVA on a full scholarship to play golf.  After reading a number of secondary sources and meeting [...]

Happy Birthday, Mr. Lincoln

by Kevin Levin on February 12, 2009 · 10 comments · Follow me on

in Teaching

If you are in the area today stop by room 4C for Lincoln cupcakes, Lincoln Logs, and a viewing of D.W. Griffith’s “Abraham Lincoln” starring Walter Huston.  One of my students is bringing in Lincoln punch, but I’m not sure what that means.  I should probably sample it beforehand.

If the answer is yes, than listen carefully.  My department is currently looking to fill a couple of positions and we are getting swamped with applications.  Compared to years past we are seeing a sharp increase in the number of applications from people who have recently earned a Ph.D in history.  I assume the increase [...]

A Moment of Insight or Confusion?

by Kevin Levin on February 9, 2009 · 25 comments · Follow me on

in Southern History, Teaching

I’ve always struggled to understand what I’ve assumed to be a radical transformation that took place within the Republican Party between Reconstruction and the Gilded Age.  As the story goes various pressures within the Republican Party caused them to abandon their Reconstruction agenda along with black civil rights, which allowed white ”Redeemers” to reestablish white supremacy.  The [...]

The Sons of Confederate Veterans is still trying to find a home for their statue of Jefferson Davis and Jim Limber.  The statue, which cost $100,000, was originally planned for the grounds at Tredegar in Richmond next to the statue of Lincoln and his son Tad.  The American Civil War Museum accepted the statue, but [...]

“Looking for Lincoln”

by Kevin Levin on February 4, 2009 · 8 comments · Follow me on

in Civil War Memory Class, Memory, Slavery, Southern History, Teaching

I am pleased to see that the new PBS documentary, “Looking for Lincoln” is available for viewing on their website.  I’m not sure if this is the complete broadcast, but enough is included to give you a sense of the scope as well as content.  The program is divided into relatively small sections, which makes [...]

The Civil War is Alive and Well in Italy

by Kevin Levin on January 16, 2009 · 5 comments · Follow me on

in Civil War Culture, Teaching

This past spring I had the pleasure of welcoming one of my blog readers from Italy who is both a high school history teacher and an avid Civil War enthusiast.  We spent the day touring the Richmond-Petersburg area battlefields and have stayed in touch ever since.  The following was written by Giuseppe Rufino on the [...]

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