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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: (65)
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By: mattb on 4/07/2010 1:07AM
The answer to your question, is this heritage or hate? It's hate clothed as heritage. Anyone who doesn't think that the Civil War was primarily and most importantly about slavery is an ignorant fool. Unfortunately we have a lot of fools here. Bob McDonnell just reinstated Confederate History Month in VA. I'm really getting tired of this. People need to write their representatives and get angry. The South was evil and the South was wrong. Get over it sons and daughters of the Confederacy. You lost. And in the process a lot of Americans died all because some racist losers wanted to keep people of a different shade enslaved. But, we have Confederate History Month so you know what, teach about the Confederacy. Take advantage of it. Talk about the horrors of the South. Talk about the horrors of the Civil War. Talk about the horrors of slavery. Talk about the Evil Confederacy.
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By: johnny on 4/07/2010 9:24AM
Some may say The Confederate flag is a flag of hate, don't be so niave, of you don't like what you see flying over MY house, do look away. My family fought for both sides, but lived in West Virginia. Do you think moutian folk could afford slaves, they could barely afford to raise their own families. The north wanted to TAX more and take away their way of life away. Good honest god fearing, non racist hill folk. Some of you claim to be history majors! Then why do you wish to tarnish HERITAGE NOT HATE? My family has not an ounce of racism, not in america or in europe so why must you insist that our Flag is so horrible, furthur more I have seen many black men women and childre bear Our flag on their skin,clothes, vehicals and over their houses. Wake up and smell the crap you are throwing on history. We have done all we can to right what others did wrong, that never seems to be enough for some. How do you think the american flag makes Native Americans feel? We were raped and piliaged long before Africans were brought here bound in chains. LEARN HISTORY, THE RIGHT WAY, UNBIASED!! Then maybe,.just maybe some may begin to understand. Salute to The South!!
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By: nosuchthingasrace on 4/16/2010 12:27AM
This blog can be defined in one term: oversimplification. It's divisive to boil complex historical and historiographical issues into one acidic gruel; everyone will have a bad stomach on account of it.
As a white southerner, I feel a bit relieved that there is finally an official time to remember the terrific loss of life that was sustained by those who were involved with the Confederate States of America - politics aside. I'm talking about the young men who were slaughtered on the battlefields, who rotted in the prisons, and who festered away in hospitals. I'm talking about the men, women, and children who were forced to flee, were robbed, who were starved, and died. I'm talking about the thousands of slaves who toiled in the South's munitions factories and in the construction of southern defenses, when I'm sure they would have liked to have nothing to do with it. I'm talking about the slaves who accompanied their 'masters' to the front lines of battle, who shared in the misery of the war, who sometimes escaped to freedom or returned home bearing the dead body of their 'master' so he could be buried at home and not in some unknown pit. I'm talking about the freed people of color who lived in the South, such as Saloman Luckie of Atlanta who was killed by a Federal artillery shell.
I guess I don't think it's such a bad thing if certain governors allocate a month to remember the deeds and suffering of people who were once Confederates. It's important to note that everyone in the South - white, black, whatever (race is anthropologically undefinable, by the way) - was a 'Confederate'.
I think this month, though it may not explicitly do this, will serve to remember the slaves and the terrible issue of slavery that was such a part of the Confederacy. While it is so easy and convenient to vilify the south today for its long-term involvement with slavery, it cannot be forgotten that slavery was the entire nation's struggle. It was an issue that both sides had trouble dealing with, and there were many southern Confederate politicians in favor of abolishing it and many northern politicians in favor of keeping black people out of the north completely. It is an issue that cannot be summed up quite so simplistically as such an asinine and offensive statement as "the south is EVIL." Alexander Stephens, vice president of the Confederacy was an impotent, rich white racist planter, do not characterize the entire south in his likeness. Robert E. Lee on the other hand inherited many slaves, freed all of them before the Civil War ever started and set them all up financially wherever they wanted to go, even to Africa as some wanted, and maintained amicable correspondence with many of them until his death.
I personally love the south. I revere my southern ancestors and regret the institution of slavery. I love the mix of European, African, and Native American culture that makes the south (not the north) such an incredibly lively, tasty, musical, and artistic region.
I think it is appropriate to foster a month that focuses on the four years history that affected all southerners. Too many people died to forget it. I hope that instead of creating revisionist camps that butt heads with each other, we can all respect Confederate History Month and Black History Month and make them complimentary of each other so we can all have an appreciate what it means to be a 'black' American and a southern American.
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By: TP on 4/09/2010 9:35PM
WOW, native americans have to petition to have a month for themselves. Why is it so easy to get this month for the southern states. Just another way of segregation.
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By: nosuchthingasrace on 4/15/2010 11:33AM
No, this is not another way of segregation. Southern politicians in southern states created this history month for southern states; it is not a nationally recognized event. I think Native Americans should have more of a presence in the national psyche, with more commemorative months, holidays, etc. Native American tribes that are federally recognized are in effect sovereign nations, and as such, should have no problem creating their own history months, of which I would love to know about, participate in, and share with others. Why is it so convenient to continue to discriminate against and hate the south? We have our problems, but we deserve to recognize our history as much as anyone else.
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