“I think many Americans have lost a sense of history,”
“We must use the sesquicentennial as a chance to make sure all of us, young and old, have an accurate appreciation of this transformative period in our nation’s history,”
“The biggest problem, of course, is there’s no money from any source,”
“This story has really been a suppressed story for us,”
“It’s kind of a political hot potato,”
“That’s a story that is a new story and really hasn’t been told in previous commemorations,”
“There’s nothing to celebrate when three quarters of a million men died.”
Above are just some of the quotes used in a USA Today article about federal funding for commemorations of the 150th anniversary of the American Civil War (see link below)
The Slate Valley Museum is planning a whole series of concerts, lectures, tours, and hands-on educational experiences to support our newest exhibit “Rivals in Slate, Brothers in War” which looks at the impact that the American Civil War had on the men, women, and children living in the Slate Valley.
What are your thoughts about local commemorations (or national events) to celebrate, discuss, or simply inform people of the complex nature of the history surrounding quite possibly the most divisive event in America’s history? What would you like to see done to commemorate this event? Do you care about it? Is it worth commemorating?
Let us know what your thoughts are!
General David Allen Russel
