Analysis Of The Next Exhibit Planned For The Museum

The end of the Civil War was an unprecedented time in American History. It created a tremendous shift in the culture of the United States, especially in the South. In his book A Year in the South: 1865, Stephen Ash paints a powerful depiction of four different people whose lives were deeply affected by the end of the war. While some felt this shift more than others, these four people survived through a period of time when many others lost their lives. Coming out of this ordeal alive was a feat in and of itself, as uncertainty ruled their daily lives. Their ability, or lack thereof, to adapt to this time period made this transition unique for each one. While some had to depend solely on their resourcefulness, others had a more privileged vantage

Thesis: As the debate continues on whether or not we should keep confederate monuments and symbols displayed publicly, it is important that we recognize both the benefits and downfalls of removing these symbols.

The tensions of the Civil War are very much still alive in the Southern United States one hundred and fifty years after the Confederacy surrendered to Union forces to end the war. While the tensions may have mitigated away from full-fledged war between North and South, there still remain tensions along racial and cultural lines well beyond the war. In Tony Horwitz’s Confederates in the Attic these long standing tensions left over from the war are delved into by Horwitz as he makes his way across the south to see how the old Confederacy is viewed in the modern world of the United States. What Horwitz found was a dualistic society differing views on the Confederacy and the events of the Civil War. Dualities left from the war in aspects such as racial tensions, the meaning of the Confederate flag even between North and South entirely. Those living in the South can be seen holding a resonating connection to the Civil War. It becomes clear in Confederates in the Attic the Civil War not only became the catalyst of such dualities in Southern society, but still further shape and perpetuate these dualities long after the Civil Wars conclusion.

The American Civil war is considered to be one of the most defining moments in American history. It is the war that shaped the social, political and economic structure with a broader prospect of unifying the states and hence leading to this ideal nation of unified states as it is today. In the book “Confederates in the Attic”, the author Tony Horwitz gives an account of his year long exploration through the places where the U.S. Civil War was fought. He took his childhood interest in the Civil War to a new level by traveling around the South in search of Civil War relics, battle fields, and most importantly stories. The title “Confederates in the Attic”: Dispatches from the Unfinished Civil War carries two meanings in Tony Horwitz’s

Later in life, I moved south of the Mason-Dixon line to Richmond, Virginia, which was at one time the capital of the Confederacy. Here, I learned an alternate version of history, one of the rights of the states against an oppressive government. What I once knew as the “War On Slavery” was here called the “War Against Northern Aggression.”

The Preservation of the Confederate Memory lives on through the Robert E. Lee memorial in Richmond. Many historians have written about the monument of Robert E. Lee and his importance to the preservation of Confederate Memory. But, recently a major debate surrounding the monument has spurred an argument between two groups. One group wants the monument to be removed or relocated from its original spot in Richmond V.A. This group believes that it is an offensive symbol in support of slavery. The other group fights to protect the monument and its location because of its importance to the southern heritage. However, trying to understand the significance of the monument requires one to look through the lenses of both groups.

Before August 12, 2017 many Americans neither cared about nor thought about Confederate flags or monuments in their daily lives. On that day in Charlottesville, Va. was “… one of the bloodiest fights to date over the removal of Confederate monuments across the South.” (Stolberg) This tragic event brought light to a movement that was able to fly under the national radar until that fateful day in August, the removal of the Confederate flag and monuments. This paper will demonstrate the need to move the Confederate flag and Confederate monuments to museums where they can be displayed in the context of history instead of in the public square where they glorify traitors and insurrectionists as heroes. This will be done by providing a brief

Rory Turner is Formerly Program Director for Folk and Traditional Arts and Program Initiative Specialist at the Maryland States Arts Concil. In Turner’s review “Bloodless Battles,” he iniciates the research with an ending of the American Civil War; “The American Civil War was fought between 1861 and 1865. Over 600,000 died in this multilevel conflict between the Northern states (the Union) and the southern states (the Confederacy)”. As the author explain much else in the United States, after a period of time when the war was over; each year there are many events all over the country, in memorial of The American Civil War and in continues to this day. Civil War reenactments are not just symbolic text that express culture meanings to analytically

In The Afterlives of a Confederate Archive, Yael Sternhell encourages the reader to journey deeper into the archive. Elucidating how archives are constructed by humankind — people with agendas and perspectives — he quickly dispatches with some common misconceptions regarding archives. The annals of amassed historic material have not, in fact, aged into apolitical constructions. Historical catalogs are not only political at the date of their inception, but are also shaped by broader social and cultural forces. With great disciplinary acuity, Sternhell provides an example of his argument, providing an insightful critique of a supposedly objective archive. Sternhell examines the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, the quintessential

Many years prior to the Civil War, Confederate statues, monuments, and other historical figures were placed thoroughly through the nation to represent the the remembrance of the Confederacy. In the “Monumental Battle” article, Laura Anastasia tells of the growing controversy that this nation has about the removal of Confederate monuments. The statues were placed to instill fear in the hearts of African Americans and portray a dominantly white future. THESIS !

The Woodrow Wilson home is a beautiful example of Columbia’s rich residential architectural history. The home recently underwent a massive renovation project, and is now a museum within a house. Advertised as “South Carolina’s only presidential landmark” it could surprise, and disappoint, visitors that the home is a museum centered on Reconstruction culture and politics in the defeated south. Changing its visitors view or Reconstruction is the overall goal of the museum, and it utilizes the boyhood of Woodrow Wilson as a background for this dialogue. Although, Walking through the museum the direct relationship between Wilson and Reconstruction is ambiguous, and in some cases confusing.

The exhibit contained upwards of 20 photographs and at least 60 paintings. One of the most agreeable things about the works of art that I witnessed is that collectively, they assisted in recounting the sentiment that gripped the country during the war that threatened to sunder it. One could almost feel the initial enthusiasm as the war broke out, that was swiftly prolonged by numerous clashes over a period of years. There were works that alluded to an impending war, ones that depicted that war, and numerous ones that hinted at a hoped for ending in which the mightiness of the country would someday be restored.

The American Civil War was a clouded era where, by comparison to modern norms, judgement was ill evolved; during the American Civil War era, slavery was still acceptable in certain parts of the country. However, it was nevertheless a cultural turning point in the history of our nation. Our nation has not always been the cultural mixing pot it is now. To arrive to modernity, there are many factors that we ought to take into consideration so we can be knowledgeable about how we got to where we are today. In the past months, there have been events that have caused a big spark in the debate of Confederate monuments; such as the rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, where protesters and counter-protesters caused a riot, and a big part of their fight pertained to if specific Confederate monuments should be removed or be able to stay. Some argue that Confederate monuments should be removed due to the very apparent connections to slavery and racism and also that times are rapidly changing. However, I argue that Confederate monuments should be preserved, but the monuments should also be evolving with our ever-changing society, in order to be honest about our nation’s past even if those memorials are somber or difficult to talk about. If we were to keep Confederate monuments we should add placards where it talks about specific events that will help with maintaining the education and learning of the American Civil War.

Throughout history, war has invariably been the solution to conflicts that arise between two opposing sides of mankind. As Bertrand Russell puts it, “War does not determine who is right but who is left”. The illustration, Cold Harbor by John Reekie, captures the aftermath of the Civil War as African Americans pick up the deceased soldiers from the battlefield. Cold Harbor is one of many pictures depicting the losses of the Civil War and, while it may evoke a part of the disturbances caused by the Civil War, it can never help one mentally reconstruct what the war was like. This picture aids in elucidating the fallacies of the Civil War by placing emphasis on the massive death toll and the economic motives that resulted in the persistence of prejudiced social constructs.

The analysis of two outstanding artworks: The Divine Shepherdess and Child with Saint John the Baptist and an Angel