My visits to Stone Mountain in 2001 and to the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin a year later inspired and enabled me to track down the Civil War ancestor I didn't know I had until nearly five years later. I also found my great great grandmother's younger brother and the place where he was wounded in Atlanta at what I call the Battle of Moreland Overpass. The rebels called it Bald Hill until the middle of June, 1864, when the Union army renamed it Leggett's Hill after Major General Mortimer Leggett and some guy named Manning Force got through with it. Now it's known as I-20.
Listening to chapter 4 of Smashing Statues to get ready for the May book discussion of this Substack. The story of Borglum and Stone Mountain is an under-remembered piece of the story including the US Mint making 50 cent pieces with Lee and Jackson on it--to honor the valor of Southern Soldiers and their descendants who fought in the Spanish American War and World War I. The Atlanta History Center’s excellent video is 30 minutes so doesn’t go deeply into all of this--but readers of this blog should watch it and join us for the book discussion of Thompson’s book.
I couldn't agree with you more, Laura. It certainly complicates our understanding of the history of the site and brings into sharper relief the selective nature of memory.
The phrase the author uses multiple times in the conclusion: Stone Mountain is a monument to a 20th C. ‘Scam’ is compelling. Certainly there can be scams in many economic endeavors across history, yet most of them are presented in terms of economic development or something more worthy of investment and reinvestment.
Right now the state is set to invest in additional history or different history. Even if the state chose to blow it up and start over, that would be a huge economic investment (with lots of contracts and risks for scams).
I completely agree. The SCV serves only one purpose and it is not “heritage,” it is race hatred. Of course I fully expect that they will continue and that they will suffer little blowback. Over time their numbers will shrink but like a cancer they will be around poisoning our body politic.
I don't doubt that there are some people who join because they are interested in history, but in recent years the SCV has aligned itself with more radical white nationalist groups.
One of my pet-peeves. I can get especially snarky when someone uses it on line---kind of like Eric W. with "calvary" for "cavalry."
As for the merits of the post, I do not envy anyone trying to thread this needle. The site is probably more steeped in Lost Cause/Klan/racist mythology than any other spot in the South. Any honest treatment of the carving would have to confront those issues.
Completely agree re: the challenge of interpreting Stone Mountain. The latest plan for the museum directly addresses all three, but it's not enough to focus on the site itself. The SMMA needs the backing and trust of the local community. Unfortunately, I don't get the sense that they've done much to build such a relationship.
My visits to Stone Mountain in 2001 and to the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin a year later inspired and enabled me to track down the Civil War ancestor I didn't know I had until nearly five years later. I also found my great great grandmother's younger brother and the place where he was wounded in Atlanta at what I call the Battle of Moreland Overpass. The rebels called it Bald Hill until the middle of June, 1864, when the Union army renamed it Leggett's Hill after Major General Mortimer Leggett and some guy named Manning Force got through with it. Now it's known as I-20.
Thanks for sharing, Craig.
https://www.atlantahistorycenter.com/monument/
Listening to chapter 4 of Smashing Statues to get ready for the May book discussion of this Substack. The story of Borglum and Stone Mountain is an under-remembered piece of the story including the US Mint making 50 cent pieces with Lee and Jackson on it--to honor the valor of Southern Soldiers and their descendants who fought in the Spanish American War and World War I. The Atlanta History Center’s excellent video is 30 minutes so doesn’t go deeply into all of this--but readers of this blog should watch it and join us for the book discussion of Thompson’s book.
I couldn't agree with you more, Laura. It certainly complicates our understanding of the history of the site and brings into sharper relief the selective nature of memory.
The phrase the author uses multiple times in the conclusion: Stone Mountain is a monument to a 20th C. ‘Scam’ is compelling. Certainly there can be scams in many economic endeavors across history, yet most of them are presented in terms of economic development or something more worthy of investment and reinvestment.
Right now the state is set to invest in additional history or different history. Even if the state chose to blow it up and start over, that would be a huge economic investment (with lots of contracts and risks for scams).
Confederate heritage group at Stone Mountain faces protesters again
https://www.ajc.com/news/georgia-news/confederate-heritage-group-at-stone-mountain-faces-protesters-again/RV4LDNL3IFH7ZKPDTRYRPUMOWE/
(Via AJC News)
Thanks for the update.
You’re welcome
Kevin,
I completely agree. The SCV serves only one purpose and it is not “heritage,” it is race hatred. Of course I fully expect that they will continue and that they will suffer little blowback. Over time their numbers will shrink but like a cancer they will be around poisoning our body politic.
Peace,
Steve
I don't doubt that there are some people who join because they are interested in history, but in recent years the SCV has aligned itself with more radical white nationalist groups.
I completely agree, but the numbers joining for history will be in the minority as SCV continues its radical turn.
The retired editor in me is aghast that the SPLC press release.used the word "succession."
I didn't notice that. Thanks, Jim.
One of my pet-peeves. I can get especially snarky when someone uses it on line---kind of like Eric W. with "calvary" for "cavalry."
As for the merits of the post, I do not envy anyone trying to thread this needle. The site is probably more steeped in Lost Cause/Klan/racist mythology than any other spot in the South. Any honest treatment of the carving would have to confront those issues.
Completely agree re: the challenge of interpreting Stone Mountain. The latest plan for the museum directly addresses all three, but it's not enough to focus on the site itself. The SMMA needs the backing and trust of the local community. Unfortunately, I don't get the sense that they've done much to build such a relationship.