Confederate History Month in Virginia

[TheDoctorKing]

Text of a proclamation from Virginia governor Robert F. McDonnell:

[INDENT]Confederate History Month

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WHEREAS, April is the month in which the people of Virginia joined the Confederate States of America in a four year war between the states for independence that concluded at Appomattox Courthouse; and

WHEREAS, Virginia has long recognized her Confederate history, the numerous civil war battlefields that mark every region of the state, the leaders and individuals in the Army, Navy and at home who fought for their homes and communities and Commonwealth in a time very different than ours today; and

WHEREAS, it is important for all Virginians to reflect upon our Commonwealth’s shared history, to understand the sacrifices of the Confederate leaders, soldiers and citizens during the period of the Civil War, and to recognize how our history has led to our present; and

WHEREAS, Confederate historical sites such as the White House of the Confederacy are open for people to visit in Richmond today; and

WHEREAS, all Virginians can appreciate the fact that when ultimately overwhelmed by the insurmountable numbers and resources of the Union Army, the surviving, imprisoned and injured Confederate soldiers gave their word and allegiance to the United States of America, and returned to their homes and families to rebuild their communities in peace, following the instruction of General Robert E. Lee of Virginia, who wrote that, “...all should unite in honest efforts to obliterate the effects of war and to restore the blessings of peace."; and

WHEREAS, this defining chapter in Virginia’s history should not be forgotten, but instead should be studied, understood and remembered by all Virginians, both in the context of the time in which it took place, but also in the context of the time in which we live, and this study and remembrance takes on particular importance as the Commonwealth prepares to welcome the nation and the world to visit Virginia for the Sesquicentennial Anniversary of the Civil War, a four-year period in which the exploration of our history can benefit all;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Robert McDonnell, do hereby recognize April 2010 as CONFEDERATE HISTORY MONTH in our COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA, and I call this observance to the attention of all our citizens.[/INDENT]

As a Virginian who descends from Unionists, I would have preferred if he had laid less stress on our Confederate heritage and just talked about the unparalleled opportunity to visit sites associated with the history of the "War Between the States" in Virginia.

[halfmanhalfsquidman]

The lack of any mention of slavery has drawn quite a lot of criticism, and while it was an oversight. I still agree with the decision to remember and pay respects to men who took a stand for what they believed was right.

[lodilefty]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/04/07/bob-mcdonnell-leaves-out_n_528733.html

[TheDoctorKing]

I may have been the only one to notice that white Unionists were not mentioned while not raising the issue of slavery...and I'm a historian of slavery...I guess I just took it for granted that almost all black Virginians were not a part of "Confederate history" but wanted to stand up for the white Virginians who weren't either.

[Carrington]

The Atlantic blogger, Ta-Nehisi Coates has posted a series of comments on Confederate History Month:

"One war, Three Sides" was particularly interesting.

http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2010/04/honoring-chm-one-war-three-sides/39024/

Unfortunately, Coates has not been pulled into AGEOD's orbit, despite a fairly long career with online RPGs.

[TheDoctorKing]

That's a heck of a post. I have proposed an NEH Summer Institute in 2011 on black resistance, and one of the case studies is the ACW. We are treating it as (in part) the largest slave rebellion in the history of the Atlantic world.

If we get multi-option events in the AACW system I'd sure like to see a set of different options (for both sides) on how to deal with slavery and black soldiers. USA could opt to arm blacks earlier, to stimulate instead of discouraging slave uprisings in CSA-controlled areas, or to refuse black service and perhaps gain public (white) support in marginal areas like Kentucky, Missouri, Maryland, Louisiana, West Virginia, etc. CSA could choose to arm some blacks with a cost in NM and VP.

[TheDoctorKing]

Doonsbury has been having fun with Confederate History Month and ACW re-enactors: http://www.doonesbury.com/strip/dailydose/.

I don't know if we count as re-enactors...no lice in my hair, though...

[Paul Roberts]

I responded to the Confederate History Month announcement by penning a little blog post that almost nobody will ever read. In it, I try to express the position of a Southerner disgusted with the whitewashing of the period's history.

[Mickey3D]

a little blog post

[TheDoctorKing]

2+

Nicely put, Paul.

[Chaplain Lovejoy]

That makes at least three of us who have read it. Highly recommended reading!

[TheDoctorKing]

You know, Memorial Day, coming up the end of May for you non-US readers, used to be called "Decoration Day" and was a day to go out and tend the graves of Union Civil War dead. In the south, there was a different day - I don't remember when - when one tended the graves of Confederate war dead. Maybe some governor should declare May to be Union History Month, with a big patriotic festival on Memorial Day complete with beer, brass bands, and flyovers from the local air national guard.

I'm going to send an email to Governor Kulongoski. He's leaving office at the end of this year anyway...

[Paul Roberts]

You know, Memorial Day, coming up the end of May for you non-US readers, used to be called "Decoration Day" and was a day to go out and tend the graves of Union Civil War dead. In the south, there was a different day - I don't remember when - when one tended the graves of Confederate war dead. Maybe some governor should declare May to be Union History Month, with a big patriotic festival on Memorial Day complete with beer, brass bands, and flyovers from the local air national guard.

I'm going to send an email to Governor Kulongoski. He's leaving office at the end of this year anyway...

I always choke up when I read accounts of reunions where Union and Confederate veterans, old men by then, would come together on one of their old battlefields and reminiscence and celebrate.

There's a nice one here.

[tagwyn]

I stood in tears at the site of the mass grave for the Confederate veterans who gave their all at the Battle of Shiloh. They will not be forgotten while yet I llive. t