Making up for Lost Causes

Making up for Lost Causes

The American Civil War seemed further away timewise than it was when I was growing up. But the physical proximity was vividly close. My entrance into the world occurred on the northern edge of the Chickamauga Battlefield. Its once bloody soil had turned to green...
Are We Erasing History – or Cementing It?

Are We Erasing History – or Cementing It?

The initial rush of removing Confederate statues has passed, but the cat is out of the bag and remains on the hunt. Critics of white supremacy have found satisfaction in the movement, while supporters complain that activists are out to erase history. We’ve been...
Confederate Statues Laud Wrong View of History

Confederate Statues Laud Wrong View of History

Charlottesville, Virginia, was buzzing in 2017 with talk about the possibility of removing Confederate monuments in the city. At first, I was ambivalent. On the one hand, I had no interest in valorizing Confederate heroes like Robert E. Lee and Thomas “Stonewall”...