Signs of the Times - Rich Collins has some suggestions for understanding the heritage of the Civil War
October 2014
Letters to the Editor: Rich Collins has some suggestions for understanding the heritage of the Civil War
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Hello, George,

I would recommend that everyone who is caught up in the matter of Civil War representations should read (and view) a graphic adaptation entitled The Gettysburg Address, by J. Hennessy and A McConnell. I selected this book for a class in Preservation Planning I am teaching. I chose it because I wanted the class to consider the Civil War's importance in American memories during the sesquicentennial year(s) and also the 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, (which some consider the most important law passed in the last 50 years. )

If those who choose to read (view) this book share the reactions of the students in the class, they will find it providing a foundation for understanding what the authors describe as "Using Lincoln's words to tell the whole story of America's Civil War, 1776 to the present."

I might add that the UVA cemetery was the site of a memorial for Confederate dead with a flag on each grave that symbolized the Confederacy by replacing Stars and Bars symbol with a flag that represented what not only is a more historically accurate representation, but one that defused some of the hostile reactions that the Stars and Bars incites.

The flag on the left, often called "The" Confederate flag, is the battle flag of the Army of Northern Virginia, Robert E. Lee's principal command. On the right is the actual, less-well-known national flag of the Confederacy.

Rich Collins (Electronic mail, October 23, 2014)


Comments? Questions? Write me at george@loper.org.