What I am about to suggest does NOT mean that I think we shouldn't do
slave history.

However, I think that Americans feel a safe distance from the
Holocaust. After all, it happened "over there," and we fought on the
side of the "good guys." Over simplified, yes, but it makes the
history more palatable.

Slavery, on the other hand, happened here. It brings up difficult, and
very personal questions about persistent racism in America. It asks us
to address issues about who we are as a people on this continent, and
the answers aren't easy to swallow.

Just my two cents.

Denise Meringolo


Arlyn Danielson <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

>I agree with this approach to telling history like it was- the good, the
>bad, and the ugly.  I have two observations:  Generally, most Jewish folks
>don't shy away from the harsh realities of what happened in the Holocaust.
> They insist on being brutally honest and forthright in conveying the
>history of this time period.  On the other hand, I have observed that some
>(many?) African Americans are reluctant to have the history of slavery in
>US history conveyed in an open and frank manner.  It was undeniably
>horrible.  Yet it seems to be too much, too horrible to contemplate and
>teach in a realistic way- in terms of living history interpretations.  I
>remember a group of African Americans (and others) objecting to the
>portrayal of a realistic slave auction at Colonial Williamsburg a year or
>two ago.  Why is this?  Having said this, I can't imagine anyone willingly
>taking on the interpretive job of being a slave who is to be whipped or
>beaten for some infraction on a living history plantation museum or
>whatever.

>----------
>From:   Elizabeth Anne Hanson[SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
>Sent:   Tuesday, February 24, 1998 12:33 PM
>To:     [log in to unmask]
>Subject:        Re: SERVANT vs. SLAVE

>I am glad that someone finally said this.
>Elizabeth

>On Mon, 23 Feb 1998, Jill C W,Duqusene U wrote:

>> As an African-American female I was greatly annoyed by the use of the
>word
>> servant as opposed to slave in certain museum exhibits.  A servant is a
>PERSON
>> EMPLOYED for domestic work.  A SLAVE is a person held in servitude as
>> PROPERTY.  Property is something tangible or intangible to which its
>owner has
>> LEGAL title.
>>
>> My ancestors were forced to work (blood, sweat and tears) for the PROFIT
>of
>> their owners in which they shared NONE.  Immigrants came to the United
>States
>> for a better chance at life.  They were not FORCED to come; they came
>> VOLUNTARILY.
>> I'm not dismissing that they did not experience hard times when they
>arrived,
>> but what I am trying to get across is that they were AT LEAST given the
>> opportunity to
>> reach for the "so called American dream."  My ancestors were NOT.
>>
>> It does not take a lot of intelligence  to figure out that the fallout of
>> slavery is still being felt to this very day.  Remember WHITE ONLY water
>> fountains were still around in the 60's. CIVIL RIGHTS is an on going
>battle.
>> It is a direct result of blind denial on the parts of BOTH blacks and
>whites.
>>
>> Face the facts, slavery happened. And until all of the facts of slavery
>are
>> realized and recognized this ugly monster will NOT go away and pretend
>that it
>> was never created and programmed to destroy.
>>
>> If you are going to depict the "true" story of slavery in museums tell
>the
>> whole story and not what people (black and white) are comfortable with.
>> Slavery was a revolting and hideous (long) period in AMERICAN HISTORY.
> Any
>> exhibit that attempts to tell the real story of slavery should be
>educational,
>> informative and factual. House slaves were not just making pancakes and
>> shining silver, many were being raped, beaten and treated worst than the
>> family pet.  Field slaves were not  just humming happy tunes in the
>cotton,
>> rice and tobacco fields, many were being separated from their families,
>being
>> forced to work from sunrise to sunset and simply trying to adjust to the
>> deplorable environments they were forced live under.
>>
>> Lets start working on resolutions to this PROBLEM.  I don't mind getting
>my
>> hands dirty.  How many other people are willing to?
>>