Reddit reviews Slavery and Public History: The Tough Stuff of American Memory

It goes beyond just misguided family members. Groups such as Daughters of the Confederate fought to ensure history books did not include the discussion of slavery. On top of that, even as late as the nineties, very few history teachers (I'm speaking less than 5% in some states) earned even a history minor. Combine these factors, and you have huge populations of people with majorly flawed education. We're now facing the backlash.

This book is very informative on the matter.

I think racism and ignorance are everywhere. For example, it's ignorant for Southerners to assume all Northerners are cold-hearted jerks if they've never even been there just like it's ignorant for Northerners to assume all Southerners are uneducated racists. People need to realize that a small portion of the population doesn't represent the WHOLE population. Have I met racists, ultra-conservatives, and religious fundamentalists? Why yes I have, but these people are few and far between, either that or others are smart enough to not be so vocal about their beliefs (which is what I think the people up North probably learned a while back ago). It's insane to me that people have this mindset about the "racist history of the South" as if the North were immune. Guess what, Washington had slaves, the ground the Liberty Bell rests on was once slave quarters. (source)

You are the problem facing public historians such as my self.

Are you aware that hundreds of slaves worked from where the liberty bell rang in Philadelphia? Are you aware that slaves worked in the original presidents house? Are you aware of the thousands of Northerners who enriched themselves off the slave trade even after it was outlawed in the North? Are you aware that all but 1 or 2 of the Northern states passed laws that prevented African Americans from entering their states? Are you aware the Slave Trade existed in Washington DC until 1850, the capital of liberty was having slave auctions on the street. The last slave was not freed in the North until 1865. Slavery did not die out in the north really until the 1820s. It didn't die out because people in the North had some high moral purpose, it died out because it was unprofitable, and after the slave trade was abolished in 1808 slaves could no longer be shipped into ports like New York. Are you aware that only >1% of the Northern Population belonged to abolition groups? Are you aware that only 6,000 slaves escaped on the underground railroad? Are you aware that originally the Senate and Congress wanted to ban slavery AND blacks from territories acquired from Mexico?


People need to realize that the whole country was complicit in slavery, it was not a southern thing.

I can recommend a pretty easy book, it is called "Slavery and Public History: The tough stuff of American Memory" My favorite quote is "If you don't tell it like it is, then it can never be as it ought to be"

http://www.amazon.com/Slavery-Public-History-American-Memory/dp/0807859168/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1314630885&sr=8-1

Like I said, it is pretty straightforward, but shows how museums and public history have become the new centers for race relations in the country.

If you have anymore questions I am a 19th Century American/African American Scholar and I would be happy to answer them.