CORE HUMANITIES 203, UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA, RENO; SUMMER 2019,
JC L'ANGELLE (FIRST DRAFT)
From Slavery to Civil Rights, and the War Between
"Heritage" is defined by Merriam-Webster first as "property that descends to an heir", and second as "something transmitted by or acquired from a predecessor." (1) It then refers to "legacy" as being a direct synonym. The two may not mean the same thing at all. Heritage might mean the history we have inherited surrounding the Confederate States of America that led to the Civil War; legacy might well mean the statues and public places named after those who represented the Confederacy. In either case, both have created enough friction and animosity within our present day culture that it surfaces almost as if by accident, where and when we least expect it.
The issue resurfaced again today when President Trump referred to the South's military genius, Robert E. Lee, as "a great general, whether you like it or not." as quoted in Axion. (2)
Fresh out on the campaign trail after announcing his candidacy for the Democratic ticket, former Vice President Joe Biden was quick to engage in a frontal assault in an attempt to outmaneuver the president on the field of political rhetoric, referring to the Charlottesville rally in August of 2017; as published in a CNBC article today by Christina Wilkie;
“those spreading hate and those with the courage to stand against it,” (3)
General Lee would have been quite upset that he is currently being used by both parties in an election bid to foster even more rebellion within the ranks of American citizens.
According to Prologue Magazine published by the National Archives, General Lee's status in post-Civil War America was dubious at best and his loyalty was certainly under a great deal of scrutiny. Prologue gives a lucid account of the fate of the General during those immediate days following surrender at Appomattox where many were held, and many more accused of treason;
"On May 29, 1865, President Andrew Johnson issued a Proclamation of Amnesty and Pardon to persons who had participated in the rebellion against the United States. There were fourteen excepted classes, though, and members of those classes had to make special application to the President."
Lee was one of those in the excluded classes and had to appeal his right for citizenship;
""Being excluded from the provisions of amnesty & pardon contained in the proclamation of the 29th Ulto; I hereby apply for the benefits, & full restoration of all rights & privileges extended to those included in its terms. I graduated at the Mil. Academy at West Point in June 1829. Resigned from the U.S. Army April '61. Was a General in the Confederate Army, & included in the surrender of the Army of N. Va. 9 April '65." (4.)
Lee signed the amnesty oath in October, 1865.
Obviously this isn't good enough for many who choose to obfuscate heritage with legacy, and politicize what was settled a long time ago. In fact, it was President Gerald Ford, who according to the archives, restored Lee's citizenship, the oath having been rediscovered.
Today more than ever we are confronted with a new battlefield, the heritage of which has been drawn from our long history that began with slavery, led to abolition, a great Civil War and emancipation. Beyond that we were confronted with Reconstruction, Jim Crow and the Civil Rights movement. Through all of this, we have yet to settle the issue of what to do with the great heritage of the Civil War, in particular, the role the South played in secession and its aftermath, 158 years after the first shots were fired on Fort Sumter in South Carolina. The question remains, what do we do about the heritage of the Confederacy?
It has become all too easy to associate it with hate, bigotry, slavery and white supremacy. At every opportunity, politicians use it to fan the flames of divisiveness to promote their own agenda. They lack incredible historical accuracy, forget conveniently the efforts of those on both sides to prevent the Civil War, and give no credit whatsoever to those who fought and died in it on both sides. General Lee becomes cannon fodder for snobs out to undermine whatever progress has been made toward all the healing that has been accomplished in the past 150 years through W.E.B. DuBois, Booker T. Washington, and Zora Neale Hurston, who, as noted in e-notes by Lynn Ramsson;
"Hurston appears inspired by the dark history of slavery but not in an angry or vengeful way. Instead, she seems to have chosen to embrace her position—one that was earned for her by her slave ancestors. However, her position is not one that she must regret or be troubled by in any way at all." (5)
The heritage that has come out of slavery, abolition, emancipation, the Civil War, and yes, the Confederacy is threatened to be lost over misguided use on the political battlefield by those who have but a clue as to their historical and cultural currency. Genuine ignorance of that very heritage, and the legacy that remains in the form of icons, would be apparent if the candidates would submit to a debate over the basic issue of our heritage of the Confederacy.
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS
1.) Heritage, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heritage
2.) Lee, https://www.axios.com/donald-trump-robert-e-lee-great-general-391aa986-b31d-4a2a-be7a-22cfb6afcd56.html
3.) Charlottesville, Wilkie, https://www.cnbc.com/2019/04/26/trump-calls-robert-e-lee-a-great-general-as-biden-attacks-charlottesville-response.html
4.) Amnesty, The Prologue, https://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/2005/spring/piece-lee
5.) Zora, Lynn Ramsson, https://www.enotes.com/homework-help/what-zora-neale-hurstons-view-slavery-how-feels-684095 (Photo: https://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--2ps_LV-j--/c_scale,f_auto,fl_progressive,q_80,w_800/bbj28at3dr2pfxu4srpu.png)
From Slavery to Civil Rights, and the War Between
"Heritage" is defined by Merriam-Webster first as "property that descends to an heir", and second as "something transmitted by or acquired from a predecessor." (1) It then refers to "legacy" as being a direct synonym. The two may not mean the same thing at all. Heritage might mean the history we have inherited surrounding the Confederate States of America that led to the Civil War; legacy might well mean the statues and public places named after those who represented the Confederacy. In either case, both have created enough friction and animosity within our present day culture that it surfaces almost as if by accident, where and when we least expect it.
The issue resurfaced again today when President Trump referred to the South's military genius, Robert E. Lee, as "a great general, whether you like it or not." as quoted in Axion. (2)
Fresh out on the campaign trail after announcing his candidacy for the Democratic ticket, former Vice President Joe Biden was quick to engage in a frontal assault in an attempt to outmaneuver the president on the field of political rhetoric, referring to the Charlottesville rally in August of 2017; as published in a CNBC article today by Christina Wilkie;
“those spreading hate and those with the courage to stand against it,” (3)
General Lee would have been quite upset that he is currently being used by both parties in an election bid to foster even more rebellion within the ranks of American citizens.
According to Prologue Magazine published by the National Archives, General Lee's status in post-Civil War America was dubious at best and his loyalty was certainly under a great deal of scrutiny. Prologue gives a lucid account of the fate of the General during those immediate days following surrender at Appomattox where many were held, and many more accused of treason;
Lee was one of those in the excluded classes and had to appeal his right for citizenship;
""Being excluded from the provisions of amnesty & pardon contained in the proclamation of the 29th Ulto; I hereby apply for the benefits, & full restoration of all rights & privileges extended to those included in its terms. I graduated at the Mil. Academy at West Point in June 1829. Resigned from the U.S. Army April '61. Was a General in the Confederate Army, & included in the surrender of the Army of N. Va. 9 April '65." (4.)
Lee signed the amnesty oath in October, 1865.
Obviously this isn't good enough for many who choose to obfuscate heritage with legacy, and politicize what was settled a long time ago. In fact, it was President Gerald Ford, who according to the archives, restored Lee's citizenship, the oath having been rediscovered.
Today more than ever we are confronted with a new battlefield, the heritage of which has been drawn from our long history that began with slavery, led to abolition, a great Civil War and emancipation. Beyond that we were confronted with Reconstruction, Jim Crow and the Civil Rights movement. Through all of this, we have yet to settle the issue of what to do with the great heritage of the Civil War, in particular, the role the South played in secession and its aftermath, 158 years after the first shots were fired on Fort Sumter in South Carolina. The question remains, what do we do about the heritage of the Confederacy?
"Hurston appears inspired by the dark history of slavery but not in an angry or vengeful way. Instead, she seems to have chosen to embrace her position—one that was earned for her by her slave ancestors. However, her position is not one that she must regret or be troubled by in any way at all." (5)
The heritage that has come out of slavery, abolition, emancipation, the Civil War, and yes, the Confederacy is threatened to be lost over misguided use on the political battlefield by those who have but a clue as to their historical and cultural currency. Genuine ignorance of that very heritage, and the legacy that remains in the form of icons, would be apparent if the candidates would submit to a debate over the basic issue of our heritage of the Confederacy.
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS
1.) Heritage, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heritage
2.) Lee, https://www.axios.com/donald-trump-robert-e-lee-great-general-391aa986-b31d-4a2a-be7a-22cfb6afcd56.html
3.) Charlottesville, Wilkie, https://www.cnbc.com/2019/04/26/trump-calls-robert-e-lee-a-great-general-as-biden-attacks-charlottesville-response.html
4.) Amnesty, The Prologue, https://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/2005/spring/piece-lee
5.) Zora, Lynn Ramsson, https://www.enotes.com/homework-help/what-zora-neale-hurstons-view-slavery-how-feels-684095 (Photo: https://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--2ps_LV-j--/c_scale,f_auto,fl_progressive,q_80,w_800/bbj28at3dr2pfxu4srpu.png)
James C. L'Angelle is an undergraduate student in the College of Liberal Arts, University of Nevada, Reno.