Speaking of ancestor worship, I do recall one teenage gentleman who told me about his g-g-g-grandfather and how he was some important Confederate etc. As I saw him drive away, his car had a stars and bars draped over the back seat and a vanity plate that mentioned something about being a “rebel.” I just thought that was fascinating.

I had an interesting discussion with an individual who worked for a museum. She had mentioned how she thought reenactment of a slave auction was out of bounds. (I think there was quite the uproar when Williamsburg began portraying auctions.) This had struck me as interesting and I had mentioned that battle reenactments offered something that was just as shocking and heart wrenching. Although I think the common visitor fails to think about what is shocking, considering that when most people see a reenactment, they realize that John Smith of Co. D. is going to get back up after the battle is over. But if you really boil it down to what a battle was, it is terrifying. The male population from ABC village was completely decimated; husbands, sons, brothers all gone. Children became orphans, men were left on the field while hogs went at them, and amputated limbs were piled outside of buildings. However, most people are just fine watching a battle. My best guess would be because the soldier represents a noble, empowering cause while the slave scene is dehumanizing. Since no one thinks about or sees the dehumanizing aspect of a battle, it is not an issue. (I don’t think I’ve ever seen a reenactment that after the battle, it is broadcast that John Doe Co. D. leaves behind 4 young girls and a wife who will now struggle for years to come, or that ABC village will wake up to a newspaper article listing that the entire company is gone.)
Maybe I am totally out of line, but I just always thought it was an interesting aspect of perception. Not to be all doom and gloom, I am joining a vintage base ball team (1860-70s rules, uniforms, etc). So there are ways to reenact that will leave everyone smiling!

I see that Ireland and Irish History is becoming a bit more popular. I suppose more people can relate to an Ireland has made a bigger splash in America. It is pounded into history books that the Irish came over during the potato famine; they formed gangs in New York, and created Iron Brigades. Throw in the love affair for Notre Dame and St. Patty’s Day and I guess it makes sense. I’m not sure Mrs. T’s pierogies piqué anyone’s interest in Polish History. I guess we still have Casimir Pulaski.

In his recent post, History: The Everyman Discipline?, Paul Lockhart wonders about what makes a person a historian. His characterization of “the public ‘at large,’ if you will” seems accurate both to academic and non-academi…