About Tredegar
From: wildbill4dixie@yahoo.com
Several SHNV readers have made queries asking who the historians are who were involved in the creation of the Tredegar Museum in Richmond. Here’s some info on the subject – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tredegar_Iron_Works, as well as the specific quote:
“The museum’s exhibits were put together by an eminent team of historians including James M. McPherson of Princeton, Bill Cooper of Louisiana State University, John Fleming of the Cincinnati Museum Center, Charles Dew of Williams College, David W. Blight of Yale, and Emory Thomas at the University of Georgia.”
It probably isn’t a complete list, and I don’t recognize all of the names. However, two of the "usual suspects", James McPhearson, and David Blight, are definitely on there.
Most contemporary historians all seem to sing the same tune – "the war was all about slavery", "the Lost Cause" was a "Myth", the slaves worked to subvert the Southern war effort, yada yada yada, blah blah blah….etc etc…. strange behavior I think, since the study of history is supposed to be a field that engenders debate and disagreement. Today for some reason, it does not. All these little birdies it seems, are singing the same tune….
In any case, Tredegar and like-minded places can easily defend themselves by pointing to a battery of contemporary historians who will publicly back them up. The blessing of these historians is what gives places like Tredegar credibilty with the general public
Bill Vallante
Commack, NY
SCV Camp 3000 (Associate)
SCV Camp 1506 (Associate)
SCV Camp 1369 (Associate)
