My friend David Campt is an "expert in intergroup dialogue and civic engagement." (https://www.davidcampt.com/) He teaches, particularly to white people, a compassionate method of engaging in dialogue with racist neighbors in such a way as to have the most effective conversation. David is organizing an event this weekend in his North Carolina city to bring a diverse group together to bridge Juneteenth and July 4 in a Freedom Fortnight Festival!
“Students often tell me that they’re not learning much about slavery beyond the suffering and harsh conditions that it involved. As a historian who specializes in how slavery is taught in K-12 classrooms, I believe there are several ways educators can incorporate Juneteenth into their instruction that will give students a broader understanding of how Black people resisted slavery and persevered in spite of it.” https://theconversation.com/juneteenth-offers-new-ways-to-teach-about-slavery-black-perseverance-and-american-history-206056
Kevin, I want to thank you for introducing me to Barbara Fields. When I taught American history i presented the origins of slavery much as she does, she does it much better. But many of my colleagues and students did not understand the arguments. They are rooted in the English adoption of industrial farming into what becomes British North America and as she said a need for labor in a place where just about anyone could acquire land. I think, as she points out, the roots do eventually take on significant racial overtones. But I realize this is not the point of your essay.
It is important for the country to acknowledge that we did grapple with and eventually end slavery. It is also important to acknowledge all that has happened since. The American world has changed since 1865 and mostly although not entirely for the better. Juneteenth should be, could be, a time to do that. This essay is excellent.
I always celebrate Juneteenth - I'm from Texas. Took me a while to find out about it, however, as it was never mentioned when I was growing up.
Disagree about the use of "original sin"; it does mean baked-in fallibility but its religious meaning is that it will eventually be wiped away when the world becomes what it was always intended to be. Sounds fine to me.
Thanks for the response. My problem with the reference ultimately comes down to the fact that it is not a historical explanation for why chattel slavery took root. I think Barbara Fields and other historians are spot on when they point out that race based slavery took time to develop and become the primary form of forced labor in the colonies. Understanding this complexity is the challenge to understanding why it persists and why we are still dealing with its consequences all these years later.
This WaPo article from Friday, June 16, is an excellent summary of Braxton Bragg’s career. “‘Bragg,’ Confederate officer William Dudley Hale wrote in a letter after the war, ‘was obstinate but without firmness, ruthless without enterprise, crafty yet without stratagem, suspicious, envious, jealous, vain, a bantam in success and a dunghill in disaster.’” His name was chosen for the new artillery camp because he was an artillery officer from North Carolina, and because his name was short. https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/2023/06/16/fort-bragg-renamed-fort-liberty-braxton-bragg/ I sincerely doubt that Pence and not-my-governor have any idea who they are defending.
Thank you for the link to Dr. Fields’ comments. I’ve often thought that, unless someone studies history post-high school and goes on to teach and write, most Americans are stuck with the simplicity of what they learned in fifth grade, slightly expanded in the higher grades if they had good teachers. I would include the majority of legislators at all levels. Our President, by contrast, met with Dr. Heather Cox Richardson https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/interview-with-president-biden
I am a new fan of Dr. Fields—sorry I hadn't run into her before but glad for the introduction here. I agree with your thoughts about "unless someone studies … post-high school…" not only about history but about any subject of consequence. Of course, that involves delving into the history of what we know about the subject, so it's still history.
I am pretty confident that neither Pence or DeSantis knows anything about the history of Braxton Bragg. This is nothing more than red meat for the base, but it speaks volumes as to what they are willing to ignore in the historical record.
My friend David Campt is an "expert in intergroup dialogue and civic engagement." (https://www.davidcampt.com/) He teaches, particularly to white people, a compassionate method of engaging in dialogue with racist neighbors in such a way as to have the most effective conversation. David is organizing an event this weekend in his North Carolina city to bring a diverse group together to bridge Juneteenth and July 4 in a Freedom Fortnight Festival!
“Students often tell me that they’re not learning much about slavery beyond the suffering and harsh conditions that it involved. As a historian who specializes in how slavery is taught in K-12 classrooms, I believe there are several ways educators can incorporate Juneteenth into their instruction that will give students a broader understanding of how Black people resisted slavery and persevered in spite of it.” https://theconversation.com/juneteenth-offers-new-ways-to-teach-about-slavery-black-perseverance-and-american-history-206056
From Texas Monthly https://www.texasmonthly.com/news-politics/comanche-crossing-lake-mexia-teen-drownings-juneteenth/
Kevin, I want to thank you for introducing me to Barbara Fields. When I taught American history i presented the origins of slavery much as she does, she does it much better. But many of my colleagues and students did not understand the arguments. They are rooted in the English adoption of industrial farming into what becomes British North America and as she said a need for labor in a place where just about anyone could acquire land. I think, as she points out, the roots do eventually take on significant racial overtones. But I realize this is not the point of your essay.
It is important for the country to acknowledge that we did grapple with and eventually end slavery. It is also important to acknowledge all that has happened since. The American world has changed since 1865 and mostly although not entirely for the better. Juneteenth should be, could be, a time to do that. This essay is excellent.
Fields is great. I am currently reading and thoroughly enjoying her book about slavery in Maryland.
Glad to hear that you enjoyed the post.
I always celebrate Juneteenth - I'm from Texas. Took me a while to find out about it, however, as it was never mentioned when I was growing up.
Disagree about the use of "original sin"; it does mean baked-in fallibility but its religious meaning is that it will eventually be wiped away when the world becomes what it was always intended to be. Sounds fine to me.
Thanks for the response. My problem with the reference ultimately comes down to the fact that it is not a historical explanation for why chattel slavery took root. I think Barbara Fields and other historians are spot on when they point out that race based slavery took time to develop and become the primary form of forced labor in the colonies. Understanding this complexity is the challenge to understanding why it persists and why we are still dealing with its consequences all these years later.
This WaPo article from Friday, June 16, is an excellent summary of Braxton Bragg’s career. “‘Bragg,’ Confederate officer William Dudley Hale wrote in a letter after the war, ‘was obstinate but without firmness, ruthless without enterprise, crafty yet without stratagem, suspicious, envious, jealous, vain, a bantam in success and a dunghill in disaster.’” His name was chosen for the new artillery camp because he was an artillery officer from North Carolina, and because his name was short. https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/2023/06/16/fort-bragg-renamed-fort-liberty-braxton-bragg/ I sincerely doubt that Pence and not-my-governor have any idea who they are defending.
Thank you for the link to Dr. Fields’ comments. I’ve often thought that, unless someone studies history post-high school and goes on to teach and write, most Americans are stuck with the simplicity of what they learned in fifth grade, slightly expanded in the higher grades if they had good teachers. I would include the majority of legislators at all levels. Our President, by contrast, met with Dr. Heather Cox Richardson https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/interview-with-president-biden
See you tomorrow evening.
I am a new fan of Dr. Fields—sorry I hadn't run into her before but glad for the introduction here. I agree with your thoughts about "unless someone studies … post-high school…" not only about history but about any subject of consequence. Of course, that involves delving into the history of what we know about the subject, so it's still history.
I am pretty confident that neither Pence or DeSantis knows anything about the history of Braxton Bragg. This is nothing more than red meat for the base, but it speaks volumes as to what they are willing to ignore in the historical record.
Amen.