Did you know that April is Confederate History month? Neither did we. Not surprisingly, according to the official Confederate History Month Web site, Confederate History Month is celebrated mostly in Southern states. Georgia's Governor, Sonny Perdue, and Mississippi's Governor, Haley Barbour, have both signed a proclamation designating April as Confederate History and Heritage Month for 2009, and city mayors and county commissioners will follow. The Georgia Senate also recently passed SB Bill 27, officially proclaiming April as Confederate History Month and the Georgia House rules committee voted 5-0, sending it out of committee for a full House vote. Supporters of the bill say, "The measure would be a boom to the state's tourism industry, encouraging visitors to come to Georgia's Civil War battlefield sites."Source: Miller County Liberal - April 1-30 2009 is Confederate History Month in the South!!
The Miller County Liberal points out that this is a racially-, ethnically- and gender-inclusive celebration:
Confederate History Month commemorates the men and women of the Confederate states of America who came from all races and religions that include: Irish-born General Patrick R. Cleburne; black Georgia Confederate drummer Bill Yopp; Mexican-born Colonel Santos Benavides; Cherokee-born General Stand Watie; and Jewish-born Confederate Nurse Phoebe Pember, who was the first female administrator of Chimboraza Hospital in Richmond, Georgia, where she served until the end of War between the states.Now, I would much prefer that this summary referenced other black Confederate soldiers, but that's not really the point. I am a passionate student of unvarnished history, and I am fascinated by the Civil War in particular. But I must say I am not sure why we should be celebrating those who fought for the dissolution of our republic. And to those of you who say it was about states' rights, I would agree but would argue that the precipitating desire was for the preservation of an individual's right to own black human beings as property, not freedom from taxes. White slavery had long ended.
I would be interested to hear specific arguments in the comments section about why Confederate History Month is a good thing. By the way, I could not find any references to Union Army History Month, but if you find some then please share.
Your thoughts?
+Read More Commentary on: The Field Negro
Our History Remembered
April 16, 1947
Basketball great Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was born Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor, Jr. in Harlem, New York City. "When Kareem Abdul-Jabbar left the game in 1989 at age 42, no NBA player had ever scored more points, blocked more shots, won more MVP awards, played in more All-Star Games, or logged more seasons" (NBA.com).
Joe Murphy, NBAE / Getty Images
April 16, 1963
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. composed his famed 'Letter From Birmingham Jail' while jailed in Birmingham, Alabama for leading non-violent demonstrations. From King's open letter: "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly."
Bettmann / Corbis
April 12, 1940
Legendary jazz musician Herbie Hancock was born in Chicago. Best known for his influential pop hit 'Rock It' (1983) and 'an illustrious career spanning five decades, he continues to amaze audiences and never ceases to expand the public's vision of what music, particularly jazz, is all about today' (Herbiehancock.com).
Charley Gallay, Getty Images
April 12, 1966
Groundbreaking professional umpire Emmett Ashford became the first African American umpire in Major League Baseball, bringing impeccable style and an unprecedented positive demeanor to his role. He worked until the mandatory retirement age of 56 in 1970. Ashford died at 65.
AP
April 13, 1963
Outstanding thespian Sidney Poitier became the first African American to win the Best Actor Academy Award for his leading man performance in the 1963 film 'Lilies of the Field.'
Getty Images
April 15, 1947
Athlete, civil rights activist and businessman Jackie Robinson became the first African American to play in a major league baseball game. Despite continual harassment from players and fans at the outset, "Robinson soon became a hero of the sport, even among former critics... He also became the highest-paid athlete in Dodgers history, and his success in the major leagues opened the door for other African American players, such as Satchel Paige, Willie Mays and Hank Aaron" (Biography.com).
AP
April 18, 1813
"James McCune Smith was born. He was an African- American physician and abolitionist... Though his academic credentials were exceptional, Smith was effectively barred from American Colleges because he was black. Thus, Smith entered Glasgow University in Scotland in 1832 and earned three academic degrees, including a doctorate in medicine" (The African American Registry).
loc.org
April 15, 1928
The first licensed black female architect, Norma Sklarek, was born in Harlem, New York City. "In 1954, she became licensed as an architect in the State of New York. It would be twenty years before another black woman would achieve the status of licensed architect. In 1966, she became the first black woman to be licensed as an architect in California. For her outstanding contribution to architecture, Sklarek became the first black woman to be honored by her peers with a fellowship in AIA. At the time of the award in 1980, only 43 female architects had been named Fellow by the American Institute of Architects (AIA)" (Essortment.com).
AIACC
April 17, 1863
"On this date... a black woman was forcibly removed from a horse-drawn streetcar [similar to the one shown here] in San Francisco. Charlotte L. Brown, the daughter of James E. and Charlotte Brown was the victim. Her father, who ran a livery stable in San Francisco, brought suit on her behalf against the Omnibus Railroad Company. The successful suit resulted in $5,000 in damages awarded as well as the right of blacks to ride the street cars" (The African American Registry).
Comments: (58)
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By: In My Opinion on 4/14/2009 2:43PM
Apparently knowone cares, since there are no comments posted.
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By: Sister Teddy on 4/16/2009 9:32PM
"Those who do not know their history are doomed to repeat it." While knowledge does not make us intelligent or wise, it does allow us to see propaganda about our past as what it is. Black History Month is valuable because the negative propaganda about African-American culture is believed, not just by white trash but by our black children. "ghetto" is not black culture. In the same way, a Confederate States history month could show how important women are in maintaining civilization and even life in times of crisis, and how no individual acts of valor or "chivalry" can compensate for institutional abuses of human rights. As long as it is honest, not romantic propaganda, I have no problem.
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By: Junebug on 4/15/2009 3:56PM
I think blacks need to get off the confederate flag flying kick. We as black americans have a whole lot more to worry about. This is history, and it was told to me you never know where your're going until you know where you've been.
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By: richard fusilier on 4/14/2009 4:19PM
Get that issue out of your mind. There were more black slaves up North than in the Confederate States at that time. Slavery was going out as it was recognized as Barbaric. There was an issue of how to cpunt votes.
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By: Loren on 4/20/2009 10:14AM
Richard,
"There were more black slaves up North than in the Confederate States at that time."
That's just flat-out untrue.
In 1860, the eleven Southern states that joined the CSA had an aggregate 3.5 million slaves. The rest of the Union had only 432,000, and the overwhelming majority of those were in Kentucky and Missouri, hardly what you think of as 'up North.'
See http://www.civilwarhome.com/population1860.htm for actual Census numbers.
So no, the North didn't have more slaves than the South. The South had 8 TIMES as many slaves as the North. Getting this backwards is like claiming that Canada has more people than the U.S.
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By: Richard Fusilier on 4/15/2009 10:58AM
Near the very end of the CIvil war the Confederate army was decimated , as the Irish immigrants joined the ranks of the Union army. "Blacks voluntarily came to the rescue of the confederacy and fought magnificently for the CSA . Prejudice wasn't promoted by the difference in race alone, it was the "Black" Army of Occupation imposed by the vengeful U.S. Congress. and the soldier's alleged debaucheries that caused it. It wasn't until the uprising of 1872 that the Army of Occupation was pushed out of New Orleans, Atlanta, Charleston etc. It was instigated by the original KKK. because of the oppression and "sinful ways" from what was known as the Bible belt. The present KKK of late is not the same as the former was dissolved after 1872 by the Confederate General that started it.
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By: Tired of Poor ME attitude on 4/14/2009 4:57PM
Slavery was outlawed in the North long before there was a confederacy. Vermont has ALWAYS outlawed Slavery. Vermont did try to break away from the union on their own. The North never had the slave levels that the south did. As a matter of fact, Slave owners that WERE in the North were offered land in exchange for releasing their slaves, having them serve in the military and then give them freedom.
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By: JoJo on 4/14/2009 5:01PM
It is history and it should be remembered. It isn't all about slavery, it's about the confederate. Let them celebrate what they want, who cares?
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By: kcn9971 on 4/14/2009 5:25PM
I'd rather see the Confederate flag fly high and proud over the south....Than see the Mexican flag fly over California. One good thing you can say about the Confederate flag is it's American.
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By: maya underwood on 4/14/2009 9:59PM
The point is that flag represents white southerners feelings that keeping blacks as slaves was okay. IT'S NOT!!! It's offensive and reminds African-Americans about their painful history. I mean, how would you feel if that flag reflected a negative of
YOUR history?
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