If you haven't read Ta-Nehisi Coates' piece on why African-Americans avoid centering the Civil War in their history, why the Civil War is so associated with whites in public memory, and how he became fascinated by the conflict, you must do so. It's outstanding. Coates...
Historical Memory
Historiann has a good post on the problems with teaching the American Revolution: the extreme nationalism of the students on the subject It’s not just that it’s difficult to teach.
In a response to the growth of ethnically-oriented museums on the National Mall, Rep. James Moran (D-VA) supports the creation of a museum dedicated to the American melting pot as.
Neil Genzlinger has a thought provoking piece on the dark side of Ellis Island and American immigration, which he rightfully says is underplayed at the museum: But there’s another side to our national welcome mat that doesn’t get so much attention, even though these days...
Miners experienced awful conditions in the coal regions of West Virginia in the early 20th century. Coal companies ruled the region like a fiefdom. Impoverished workers had few connections with.