Aha! A challenge.

  
"We learn from history that we learn nothing from history."
George Bernard Shaw


Dann Hayes
Grinnell College
Grinnell, Iowa
> ----------
> From:         Nicholas Burlakoff
> Reply To:     Museum discussion list
> Sent:         Thursday, November 6, 2003 10:17 PM
> To:   [log in to unmask]
> Subject:      Re: "Enslaved"
> 
> "History is the present. That's why every generation writes it anew. But
> what most people think of as history is its end product, myth.
> E. L. Doctrow
> 
--------------

> Remember what Cicero (106-43 B.C.) said.
> 
> "The first law of the historian is that he shall never dare utter an
> untruth.  The second is that he shall suppress nothing that is true.
> Moreover, there shall be no suspicion of partiality in his writing, or of
> malice."
> 
> 
> That holds true, today.
> 
> Dann Hayes
> 
> 
> 
> 
> > ----------
> > From:         Nicholas Burlakoff
> > Reply To:     Museum discussion list
> > Sent:         Thursday, November 6, 2003 8:48 AM
> > To:   [log in to unmask]
> > Subject:      Re: "Enslaved"
> >
> > Dann Hays writes: "Once we start putting 20th century (21st century?)
> > outlooks on what was going on moe [sic] than 100 years ago, then we have
> > lost the reason for developing the exhibits in the first place."
> >
> > First of all, there was no mention of presenting any historical item, the
> > question was about a term-so this is a new thought that has little to do
> > with the original question. Second, it all depends on what one is doing.
> If,
> > one is presenting a 1st person reenactment then obviously one uses the
> > terminology and concepts of the time. On the other hand, if one is
> > presenting a historical item in today's reality one will use today's
> > language and concepts. In making a historical presentation one should
> > explain the circumstances and context operational at the time, but one
> > cannot escape the point-of-view of one's own time-nor would it be good
> > history.
> >
> > It appears that many folks have a very naïve view of history. History is
> not
> > the recounting of facts of a particular time; that would be "chronology."
> > The term "history" always implies a definite point of view, be it of the
> > 21st or 19th century.
> > nburlakoff
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On
> Behalf
> > Of Hayes, Michael (Dann)
> > Sent: Thursday, November 06, 2003 10:03 AM
> > To: [log in to unmask]
> > Subject: Re: "Enslaved"
> >
> > Just one thought in the discussion.
> >
> > If you are presenting an historical item on slavery, shouldn't it be
> > presented as it was in the time period where the event took place?
> >
> > Once we start putting 20th century (21st century?) outlooks on what was>
> > going on moe than 100 years ago, then we have lost the reason for
> developing
> > the exhibits in the first place.
> >
> > You can have some kind of scenario where the reference is discussed,
> today,
> > but I think it would be more worthwhile to use the basic terminology that
> > was used in the era you are looking at.
> >
> > Dann Hayes
> > Grinnell College
> > Grinnell, Iowa
> >
> >
> > > ----------
> > > From:         Deb Fuller
> > > Reply To:     Museum discussion list
> > > Sent:         Thursday, November 6, 2003 5:31 AM
> > > To:   [log in to unmask]
> > > Subject:      Re: "Enslaved"
> > >
> > > Hi Jay,
> > >
> > > --- Jay Heuman <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> > >
> > > > One poster provided a great example (Amistad) of how the slave trade
> > tried to
> > > > change those who were "enslaved" into "slaves."  Enslavement is a
> > process;
> > > > slaves are usually the result of the process.
> > >
> > > That was a good point. But if slaves were born and raised in slavery,
> were
> > they
> > > ever technically "enslaved"? I doubt slave owners went around and said
> > "*poof*,> 
> > > you're a slave." It also implies that these people were free to begin
> > with,
> > > which they weren't. Thus using the word "enslaved" seems to give them a
> > status
> > > which they did not have.
> > >
> > > For example, a Roman legion captures and enemy city and all those who
> > weren't
> > > killed were enslaved. There I can see using the term "the enslaved
> Gauls"
> > which
> > > implies that at one point they were free.
> > >
> > > But on a plantation where all the slaves probably had been slaves all
> > their
> > > lives, using the term "enslaved" gives the impression that they were
> > something
> > > other than slaves, which they weren't. I can see using the term for
> early
> > > American site where blacks were brought over from Africa and enslaved.
> But
> > was
> > > a slave born to a slavery ever really "enslaved" at one point? Certainly
> > not in
> > > the way the first Africans imported to the colonies or a conquered
> people
> > were.
> > >
> > > > Looking at the etymology of "slave" (below), one sees the assumption
> > that
> > > > slaves are inherently 'lesser than'.  To "enslave" is the attempt to
> > impose a
> > > > 'lesser than' status.
> > >
> > > Another good point, but again, you can't have a lesser status if you
> never
> > had
> > > a higher status to begin with.
> > >
> > > Deb
> > >
> > > __________________________________
> > > Do you Yahoo!?
> > > Protect your identity with Yahoo! Mail AddressGuard
> > > http://antispam.yahoo.com/whatsnewfree
> > >
> > > =========================================================
> > > Important Subscriber Information:
> > >
> > > The Museum-L FAQ file is located at
> > http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed
> > information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail
> message
> > to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read
> "help"
> > (without the quotes).
> > >
> > > If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message
> to
> > [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read
> "Signoff
> > Museum-L" (without the quotes).
> > >
> > >
> >
> > =========================================================
> > Important Subscriber Information:
> >
> > The Museum-L FAQ file is located at
> > http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed
> > information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail
> message
> > to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read
> "help"
> > (without the quotes).
> >
> > If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to
> > [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read
> "Signoff
> > Museum-L" (without the quotes).
> >
> > =========================================================
> > Important Subscriber Information:
> >
> > The Museum-L FAQ file is located at
> http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed
> information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail message
> to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "help"
> (without the quotes).>
> >
> > If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to
> [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "Signoff
> Museum-L" (without the quotes).
> >
> >
> 
> =========================================================
> Important Subscriber Information:
> 
> The Museum-L FAQ file is located at
> http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed
> information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail message
> to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "help"
> (without the quotes).
> 
> If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to
> [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "Signoff
> Museum-L" (without the quotes).
> 
> =========================================================
> Important Subscriber Information:
> 
> The Museum-L FAQ file is located at http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "help" (without the quotes).
> 
> If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes).
> 
> 

=========================================================
Important Subscriber Information:

The Museum-L FAQ file is located at http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "help" (without the quotes).

If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes).