Reviews

Confederate Statues and Memorialization by Karen L. Cox, W. Fitzhugh Brundage, Catherine Clinton

teriboop's review against another edition

5.0

Confederate Statues and Memorialization is the first in a series of books titled History in the Headlines. As the series title suggests, each book delves into historical topics that are in the headlines today. This book tackles the debate of what to do with confederate statues and memorials that are dotted across the US South. The first half of the book is the transcript of a panel of four noted historians who specialize in southern US history. The four historians are moderated by Dr. Catherine Clinton, one of the series' senior editors. The conversation covers the gamut of proposals that have been hotly debated in the headlines, from leaving the statues and memorials as is and contextualizing them with new plaques or adding counter memorials close by, or removing them from public spaces, especially the grounds of governmental spaces, and placing them in private places, museums, and battlefields, or completely destroying them. There is no specific conclusion on an agreed solution by the end of the conversation, but the debate does offer aspects of the conversation to further contemplate.

The second half of the book is a group of 10 op-ed-type articles and essays that have made the headlines on the subject. One particular article that stayed with me suggested demolishing the memorials and leave on the ground as a type of new memorial or shock art if you will, to show future generations that the destruction of old, racial ideologies should be destroyed.

This is a very thought-provoking book and a good conversation (or debate) starter for a very polarizing topic that continues to stay current.

noahsingh's review

2.0

had some great articles but also some pretty classic boring liberal/why don't we just b nice to the racists articles so :/
a lot of arguments I've personally heard before, was hoping for some newer content/discussion material from this