Sunday, November 25, 2007

Wallace Section II

To round out the semester we return to Mike Wallace and his often pessimistic views of history. While he does go overboard at times, a healthy amount of skepticism is essential to be a good historian; questioning information and sources is paramount. In this section of Mickey Mouse History, we actually address the topic of Walt Disney World. Wallace analyzes how Disney World has contributed to the portrayal of American history.

Disney Main Street and Epcot are two of the areas that Wallace focuses on. Main Street is the "recreation" of Walt Disney's home town, and paints a picture of middle class suburbia bliss. However, this is a fantasized depiction of history. The same is true for Epcot and the numerous corporate sponsors who want the idealized version of history told in the theme park. These Disney parks show the happy side of history, and never incorporate anything controversial. Wallace is opposed to this, because as we know, he is a fervent proponent for social history and the inclusion of all those who are underrepresented. He explains Disney's reasons for this fictional history because most visitors can relate to this middle class history and it makes them feel good.

Wallace continues his analysis of Disney by telling about the park that never was, Disney's attempt to create a theme park about the history of America. While this park was never built, Wallace comments about the ramifications it would have had on real historical education. Disney parks present the public with an ideal world, so how would a truthful representation of history have fit into this ideal? Wallace points out that this is the conflict, and one of the main reasons why the project was canceled.

As we have read throughout the semester, Wallace seldom agrees with history that is not strictly history, and doesn't include those of all social, economic, and racial walks of life. While this is certainly a biased perspective, Wallace has given us some valuable points to contemplate. He addressed the role of film and the internet in history, and how entertainment is now becoming edutainment. How should we face these issues and challenges as public historians? His questions promote debate and communication within the field, which is essential if we are to tackle these issues. Wallace has certainly made me think, and discussing his book has prepared me to deal with controversy and the changes to come for public historians.

Cinematic History

Robert Brent Toplin discusses the topic of portraying history through film. Toplin focuses on how history is utilized and interpreted in the movies, and the genre of cinematic history. He believes historical films are important because they help to reach wide audiences, but many factors must be considered when using this medium which is known to take creative liberties. Toplin raises the issue of when the movie is filmed and how that influences how the historical time period it portrays. He also factors in what historical movies tell us about the cultural and social climate of the historical setting.

Toplin is a strong advocate for historians becoming involved in cinematic history. He believes that extensive research should be conducted in the field to contribute as much as possible to historical accuracies and the audience understanding of historical films. Like Davis, Toplin feels that historical movies serve the greater good by involving an audience that might not be reached otherwise. Therefore, he challenges historians to refine the making of films and share their expertise with filmmakers to transform historical cinema into something that provides a truthful historical picture to the audience.

Movie or Monograph?

Natalie Zemon Davis writes her article Movie or Monograph? A Historian/Filmmaker's Perspective about the role she played as an historical movie consultant. Davis is a historian, and became involved with the French movie Le Retour de Martin Guerre. Having published a book about early modern France, her expertise was called upon by the film's writers and directors, as the story took place during the sixteenth century.

While Davis was consulting on the film, she faced the dilemma of historical inaccuracies. She explains that films have the job of guiding the audience in the general direction of historical accuracy, but they should be allowed to take some historical liberties. As long as the story is historically plausible and the plot doesn't deter too much from the original account, Davis believes films do not have to be 100% accurate. She calls for the "imagination to be guided by evidence", letting the film capture the spirit of the historical event, not necessarily every accurate detail.

As a caveat to this statement, Davis tells about how she wrote a book that presents the historically accurate story of Martin Guerre while she was working on the film. This eased her mind about the historical liberties in the film, because she corrected them in print. Davis feels that having both the written and cinematic versions of the story available guides the audience into dialogue and debate. For her, this is the most important role that historical films can play; their purpose is to make the audience think about the event. However, this raises the question of whether an audience will take the initiative to become informed and involved in the debate, or will simply take an historical film at face value? Davis is wonderfully optimistic that film goers will want to investigate further into the story, but if this is not so then this audience is only reached by a partial truth. With the important role that films play in our lives today, it is up to historians to become involved with movies so audiences can benefit from historically accurate and trustworthy cinematic experiences.

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Comparing Websites

The Alamo Official Site-- San Antonio, Texas
http://www.thealamo.org

As the official website of the Alamo historical site, this webpage is put together extremely well. It offers a wealth of information to visitors, and maintains a professional appearance throughout the site. The website explains the story of the 1863 Battle of the Alamo, and why the former mission is an important historical site.

Being a very dynamic website, each page is filled with pictures and pop-up menus to entice the visitor into further exploration of the site. The homepage divides the site up into history, visitor information, educational resources, and donations. These categories are easy to navigate at a glance, and when scrolled over, pop-up menus appear that describe what each category contains so the visitor can find exactly what they are looking for.

The highlights of this website are the numerous primary sources provided for the visitor, which include letters from those involved in the Battle of the Alamo. A large picture gallery also adds to the site. All of the links I checked on the site were in working order, and the site appears to be up to date and maintained regularly. There is a large section about planning a visit to the Alamo, with an extensive list of contact persons who welcome any inquiries about visiting. The educational section is also packed with lesson plans and guides for student research about the Alamo. Finally, there is a section for children that contains several puzzles and games relating to the historical site.

The only downfall of this website that I found is that some parts are particularly text heavy. While every page does contain pictures, in the history section, the pages begin to look boring. The text is plain Times New Roman with a white background, and continues on for several long paragraphs. This could be improved by adding more color to the pages and choosing an interesting font. Also, the paragraphs could be shortened or the text could be split up into several pages. Even with this flaw, the Alamo website is definitely worth a visit, and is the best source about this historical site that I have found on the internet.


The Alamo
http://www.americanwest.com/pages/alamo.htm

When searching for information about the Alamo online, this is one of the first websites to appear. This is also one of the worst and most outdated websites that I have come across. It is a single page with a drab tan background and small text, with one small picture of the historical site. The website provides a one paragraph summary on history of the Alamo, including a few sentences about the famous battle.

Half of the one page website is taken up by a "recent" visitor email. There is no date on this email, and it is hardly relevant and provides visitors to the site with very little information. I thought the website could redeem itself through the long list of related links at the bottom of the page. It even divides the links up into information about the Alamo, biographies of those involved in the Battle, and movies made about the Alamo. However, only a few of these links work, and the information provided by these supplementary websites is disjointed and confusing, and does not relate to the original website. Overall, this website is a disappointment and does a disservice to those who are trying to research and learn about the Alamo. It does not even compare to the official Alamo site, and has no similarities to it at all.


The Battle of the Alamo
http://www.lone-star.net/mall/texasinfo/alamo-battle.htm

This website is almost as bad as the one before it, and also does not compare to the official Alamo site. It is another single page site, with a plain white background. This site has slightly larger text that is easier to read. However, all the site contains is text, and lots of it. It explains the Battle of the Alamo, but fails to address the actual Alamo mission building. The site is quite boring for the visitor, with only a single tiny picture of the Alamo historical site.

There are annoying ads in the menu bar, and like the previous website, hardly any of the added links work. The only section of links that work is the libraries and museums section. Some of the links direct the visitor to interesting sites that are of much higher quality than this one. This website should take an example from these other sites and update their look and the information provided. Sadly, this website was updated in September and is still in this bad of shape. Unfortunately for those researching the Alamo on the internet, the only option I have found is the official website. While this makes up for what the other sites lack, it is disappointing to find only one great website about such an important moment in American history.

Monday, November 5, 2007

Double Fold

In his book Double Fold, author Nicholson Baker makes a strong argument about how libraries handle primary sources, specifically newspapers. Baker does not pretend to take an unbiased approach to his work, and is a strong proponent for saving original documents. He is so strong of an activist that he even spent his own money to save a single archive.

Baker begins his narrative in the British Library, where thousands and thousands of original newspapers were stored. He then weaves a story about the situation in the United States, which is just as dire. In order to preserve the information on these primary sources, libraries began converting these documents into microfilm and destroying the originals. This process does preserve the information in the newspapers, but with numerous downfalls. The tangibility of the original document is lost, picture quality is lessened and distorted, microfilm can not be digitized, and and the process is time consuming and expensive.

The reasons for microfilming have equally as many downfalls as the process itself. Libraries argued that original newspapers could not stand the test of time and would disintegrate. Several ridiculous tests were devised to show that the paper of books and newspaper could not remain intact. Using strong language to show his complete disagreement with these tests, Baker shows the idiocy of the so-called "double fold" test.

To Baker, the solution for saving these precious primary sources is the digitization of the information. This way, the originals can be saved and archived, but the information is still available to the public. Digital media preserves the source in much better condition than microfilm, as pictures are crisper and clearer and text is not as hard to read. This solution has many merits and valuable points, especially in today's world. Students who use these primary sources are often unfamiliar with how to use microfilm, but feel right at home accessing a digitally formatted document. Not only will the information be preserved, but more people are likely to use it and learn from it when they feel it is more accessible to them.

Preservationists like Baker are doing all they can to raise awareness about the destruction of primary sources. This is an issue that I was not even aware of, and I am glad to know that others are working to stop it. Hopefully the digital age will aid in their struggle and primary documents will survive the microfilm movement.

Sunday, October 28, 2007

Can You Do Serious History on the Web?

Carl Smith makes a compelling argument about the use of the internet in his article "Can You Do Serious History on the Web?" Being a designer of an enormous online exhibit himself, Smith weighs the pros and cons of using this form of technology for serious academics. While he admits that the internet is by no means flawless, its advantages greatly outweigh any disadvantages. According to Smith, serious history is "original work that is responsibly based on primary sources, is intelligently informed by relevant scholarship, and makes a clear argument or group of arguments." This can absolutely be seen on the web not only through online exhibitions, but in various academic historical websites.

One example of serious history on the web is the website we are currently constructing in Public History. Smith even points out that students constructing academic websites is one of the best uses of serious history on the web. We are compiling a variety of sources, including the Fallschase interviews, archived materials, recommended readings, and historical site reviews to construct a narrative about environmental history in the Big Bend. While unfortunately there are bad websites available, our class is embracing technology in order to promote serious history on the web.

The Other Suburbanites

"The Other Suburbanites" by Andrew Wiese tells the story of African American suburbs before the 1950s in the United States. Mainly focusing on a community near Cleveland called Chagrin Falls Park, Wiese tells about the differing perspectives of African American suburbs. He recalls that outsiders, especially white people, have viewed these areas as slums, places that are run down and unattractive. However, past community residents had a much different view, and believe they made better lives for themselves and lived the suburban American dream. Wiese draws attention to the fact that historians have largely focused on white, middle class suburbs when analyzing the role suburbs have played in history. His research aims to change this by studying African American suburbs, and cultivating an understanding as to why these areas are just as historically important.

One of the reasons for Chagrin Falls Park's importance is the rich oral history provided by the community. Sixty oral interviews were conducted during Wiese's research. These interviews provided first hand information about what it was like constructing a new community and establishing new homes and jobs. This use of oral history is highly beneficial to Wiese's article, as it draws the reader in and facilitates making a connection to the past. Employing oral history is a much more effective technique than Wiese simply restating his research for the reader.

Wiese also makes other arguments about the importance of Chagrin Falls Park. This suburb is an example of what happened in urban areas after the Great Migration. The history of race and class relations in the community is very tense and negative. Things like zoning restrictions served to isolate African Americans from other white areas. However, even through such adversity, opportunities like owning land, building houses, and better jobs enlivened these suburbs. Weise's final point about the uniqueness and importance of the area is how Chagrin Falls Park survived due to a strong network of friends and families that stablized and supported each other and the community throughout the history of the area.

Monday, October 22, 2007

Sellar's Preserving Nature in the National Parks

Preserving Nature in the National Parks by Richard West Sellars offers an historical overview of the National Parks Service in the U.S. Sellers' experience allows him to give a detailed view of the history because he has been a historian for over twenty years with the NPS. His research for the book involved using historical files from NPS, other secondary sources, individual accounts from past and present NPS employees, as well as his own experiences.

Nature preservation is the issue Sellars is most concerned about. He presents the issue throughout the book and the different ways that it has been approached during the history of the NPS. Beginning with the establishment of Yellowstone in 1872, the first national park aimed to preserve the land from exploitation. This has been the goal of NPS from inception, but this goal has been and is still being challenged today.

The conflict is between those who want complete nature preservation of the parks, and those who believe tourism should dictate the land use. Sellars believes that more and more parks are becoming tourist traps with so many amenities that the areas are losing their pristine nature. The role of NPS employees has also changed too, by becoming more bureaucratic, losing the authority they once held, and dealing with a disconnect from nature by spending more time in park offices. Nature preservationists would like to see tourists limited to certain areas of the park to be able to more effectively protect precious flora and fauna.

While the challenges of modern day tourism are certainly present in the NPS, other modern advantages are being utilized to help combat this issue. Ecological science is now being employed within the NPS to help manage and preserve wildlife, which has not been the case for most of NPS history. This tool is adding an ethical commitment to preserving nature, because as more native species and areas of critical need are being identified through ecological science, the NPS should be morally obligated to protect them.

As the NPS loses more authoritative control over what is happening in America's parks, the debate between tourism and preservation will continue. Sellars believes that tourism is important, and that the parks should serve the visitor, but a line has to be drawn in order to protect the natural inhabitants of the land. While I love to enjoy the outdoors by hiking and camping, I don't feel I have the right or the need to explore every corner of every park I visit. Nature can still be experienced without trespassing on the homes of native plants and animals that should be respected. If nature preservations lose the battle to preserve these areas, there will be no untouched land left in the parks for this wildlife to thrive, and it will be environmentally detrimental for generations to come.

Sunday, October 14, 2007

Landmarks and Legacy Tour

I was not able to make the tour this year, but last year's tour was so enjoyable that it left a lasting impression upon me. I learned so much that I never knew about Tallahassee. This was quite embarrassing for me and I hate to admit it because I am a Tallahassee native, but I have taken the history of this city for granted. I was shocked at how unfamiliar I was with much of the information our guide bestowed upon us. In that manner, the tour was especially interesting to me because I really felt connected to the stories the guide shared. Obviously I wasn’t around when the history was being made, but to know that I’ve driven past Marvin St. hundreds of times and never even knew about the area of Smoky Hollow really opened my eyes.

In addition to the unique Smoky Hollow houses, the few original Frenchtown houses really caught my eye. Growing up I had only ever been through the more rundown areas of the district, and those few houses were hidden away like glittering gems. The stories our guide told about the activism in the neighborhood were inspiring. Even though they may not have enough support to form a whole historical district, the fact that a few individuals want to preserve the past is always encouraging.

The cemeteries were also an interesting addition to the tour. I knew Tallahassee contained some very old cemeteries, but I was not aware of the history behind the establishment of Greenwood. I also enjoyed hearing about the May 20th celebration of the Union Soldiers in the Old City Cemetery. That was a real connection to the past which makes me feel like that important moment in history is still alive and not forgotten. However, the stories of such racial tension were uncomfortable to hear about, and that is what makes this tour still important and relevant today. These issues have not died and been buried with the soldiers in their graves, as the entire tour illustrated with different stories about race relations in the city. We should learn from these stories and strive to make a change in our community, both within the field of historic preservation and the tolerance and acceptance of diverse peoples and perspectives.

While I did realize that Tallahassee was established before the Civil War, I never equated that with Tallahassee being an area of plantations. Our stop at Goodwood was enlightening and also spectacular. I can’t imagine living in the splendor of those ornate rooms way back when! As beautiful as the area is, I was troubled that they hardly mentioned the slaves that worked the plantation. Maybe this is because they do not in fact know much about these slaves, but I would have liked to hear more about that aspect to give fair dues to all who lived at Goodwood.

Overall, I learned a great deal more than I ever expected to on this tour. While I griped all morning about waking up on a Saturday to do something school related, it could not have been more worth the experience. In fact I was so excited about learning more about historical Tallahassee that I managed to get a few more tours pamphlets from our guide and have since dragged some friends around on a self-guided historic tour!

Sunday, October 7, 2007

Road Trips Through History

Author Dwight Young presents a collection of his essays from Preservation Magazine in his work Road Trips Through History. This unique book highlights the importance of the historic preservation movement. Young seamlessly connects the physical side of preservation with the emotional impact of preservationist work. We do not preserve historical sites only because they look pretty. We preserve these sites because of our emotional attachment to them and the history they represent. Young conveys this sentiment by emphasizing the human element in the movement; special people with a passion for the past have made historic preservation possible.

Young shows many aspects of the movement throughout the book. He writes about important individuals and their impact on preservation. Telling about small grassroots movements, Young illustrates that they have affected change in their areas by preserving local history. Larger, well organized movements and nation wide groups have also played an integral role in preservation through the entire history of the movement. Young also addresses preservation law in many of the articles, and how preservation is helped and hindered by these laws.

The first section of the book focuses on national trends and by calling attention to local examples. Young draws upon specific issues like downtown restoration, battlefield preservation, preservation guidelines, and even quirkier examples such as the Slow Food movement. The point of this section is to show that if it can be done in one community, it can be done in any community. It is up to individuals to come together as a community to make a change and lead the movement in their area. The most unconventional preservation example of community action resulting in a national trend is night sky preservation. This shows us that for something to become a national trend, it only has to start in one community.

Young approaches the second section of the book from a different angle, shifting to concentrate on individual preservationists. This approach underscores the necessity of strong individual leaders to invigorate a movement, specifically the historic preservation movement. He tells about Barbara Capitman restoring Miami Beach and Ann Pamela Cunningham as "the mother of the American preservation movement." While community participation is the core of the preservation movement, individual leaders are invaluable.

The final section of Young's work is about specific architecture and the emotional connections made with these structures. Emotional connections are made because of appreciation for the physical beauty of these buildings, which is intensified by their historical context. This is the reason that drives preservationists. They are people who understand the importance of the physical and emotional beauty of preservation, and are in the field to because of their love to share this with others. Details are also important to Young, and he conveys the message that unique architectural details are what make preserving many historic sites paramount. Young argues that the appreciation for historical architecture may be more important to the movement than any cultural or socioeconomic benefits. He brings examples from his travels around the world to make this point, citing Russia, the American South, U.S. cemeteries, and several U.S. cities.

Young skillfully weaves all of these individuals essays into a narrative about the bigger picture of
historic preservation. While addressing specific issues, he shows overarching themes that are present in the movement. His writing is humorous and easy to connect with, while at the same time challenges the reader to think about the impact of preservation. His arguments about emotional connections to preservation hit the nail on the head, because being a preservationist is not an easy job. It is done because of a passion and love for individual places that unite us in the movement of historic preservation.

Sunday, September 30, 2007

Wallace Section III

In the third section of his work Mickey Mouse History, Wallace expounds upon his theory that history and politics are intricately linked. He does this by explaining the background of historic preservation in American, and trials that the field has experienced. These trials are due, in a large part, to politics.

Wallace illustrates how politics are connected to historic preservation by addressing different eras in the movement. Between the 1880s and 1940s a few main groups of the social elite led the country in preserving historical properties. These included New England businessmen, Southern gentry, and millionaire industrialists. Using their political clout, these groups managed to get the Antiquities Act passed in 1906, helping to establish national historic monuments and sites.

Since the 1940s, the movement of historic preservation has experienced regular high and low points. These have been influenced by different presidential administrations and the political climate of the times. Before and during World War II, New Deal programs instituted by Franklin Roosevelt created a surge in interest of preserving historical sites. After the war, urban renewal became popular, and many historical properties were destroyed to make way for new construction. In the 1960s preservation experienced a reversal of the post-war boom, and President Kennedy's administration led the way by example when Jackie Kennedy restored the White House. This preservation upswing influenced the passage of the Historic Preservation Act of 1966.

In the 1970s, corporations got involved with the movement because they realized how to generate tourism and profit from historically restored areas. Additionally, new construction became costly, and this influenced ordinary citizens to fix up their historical houses instead of buying new ones. Eventually this led to a backlash in the 1980s under Reagan. Social and ethnic factors became very pronounced in historic preservation as restored properties skyrocketed in value and the gentrification of urban areas became widespread. Reagan's anti-preservation attitude damaged the preservation movement and significantly shrank the political support base for the movement.

According to Wallace, historic preservation can get back on its feet with by forming alliances with groups he views as natural allies to the movement. Environmental and civil rights groups, local conservationists, unions, and public housing activists are just a few examples of groups Wallace feels should come together under the banner of historic preservation to influence the next era of the movement. He believes organizing on the local level in essential to preserving collective American memories, and this will be the way of historic preservation in the future.

Monday, September 24, 2007

Reagan and the Enola Gay

Wallace presents a critical view of Ronald Reagan's presidency in his chapter about the politics of history. These two subjects are inseparable to Wallace, as he has stated earlier in his book. Reagan makes the perfect example of why it can be harmful to abuse the combination of history and politics. The political power given to Reagan made him a trustworthy figure, the embodiment of "America" and its people. This power was abused when he gave did not give the public factual information historical information, and on several occasions flat out lied about historical events.

Identifying Reagan's behavior as a product of Hollywood, Wallace believes Reagan was trained to lie in the film industry. This affected Reagan's future in politics because of the content of films during the era. The vast majority of Hollywood films produced while Reagan was an actor during the 1930s and 1940s touted American patriotism and portrayed historical American events. Wallace concludes that these films led Reagan to believe that he was a part of these fictional versions of historical events, and his position of political power allowed for Reagan to share these untrue stories.

Wallace probes further into Reagan's presidency when he asks why Americans believed the revisionist history they were hearing. He attributes this phenomenon to the post-war disillusionment of Vietnam and the need to grasp a new and improved version of America's past. As one writer calls it, Reagan lies were "an orgy of re-illusionment". While many people rushed to embrace this version of history, thinking it was better to embrace myths than relive the truth, Wallace is very opposed to this idea. He believes it is actually better to confront the unpleasant or controversial things in history rather than write the story all over again. Wallace says that history is not comforting, but rather it is supposed to continually challenge us to collectively remember the past and engage with the realities of historical events.

The same can be said for the controversial Enola Gay exhibit at the Smithsonian. Wallace draws a parallel between the exhibit and Reagan's abuse of history and politics. A strong advocate for museums, Wallace presents the challenges faced by the Smithsonian's staff when they were confronted with telling the story of the atomic bombs and the challenge of presenting it to a public audience. Instead of taking the Reagan approach and seeping the exhibit in American patriotism, the first draft of the show was balanced and allowed for an American and Japanese perspective to be represented.

Then politics got in the way, and the Reaganising began. The first draft was targeted by governmental and military groups who called the exhibit revisionist and unpatriotic. This is because the National Air and Space Museum was founded by an ex-military man and curated by ex-military for years, and America had always been portrayed in a positive light under their reign. The groups who protested even went so far as to call into question the backgrounds of the exhibit curators, claiming they were un-American and presenting their personal views in the show. This damaging behavior led to multiple revisions of the exhibit, and eventually the original historical integrity of the show was breached due to political pressure.

Armed with the examples of Reagan and the Enola Gay, Wallace makes his final point about the responsibilities of historians to preserve America's history. He says they must continue to push the boundaries of accepted historical narratives to cultivate pride and not shame about the past. It is essential for museums to be engaged in current debates and have authentic voices represented in relevant exhibits in order to ensure future success. If museums retreated to the Reagan view of ignoring or rewriting the unpleasant, they would be headed for disaster. Instead, museums and historians now must embrace controversy and factual history, and continue to build bridges and trusting relationships with the community.

Sunday, September 16, 2007

Mickey Mouse History

Public historian Mike Wallace presents his strong views on modern museums in his book Mickey Mouse History. Wallace criticizes many issues in the museum world and gives his own solutions to what should occur in the field. He detests conservative Federal intervention in museums, believing that this always skews the presentation and interpretation of exhibits. Believing these institutions should be in the hands of the private sector or small local governments, Wallace states that this is the only way to run a museum. The local community must be involved with the museum in order for it to have an effective message. Partnerships and cooperation with sister institutions is also necessary.

Wallace understands the role that point of view and interpretation play in museums. He sites many museums and specific exhibits that have been unsuccessful over the years because they have failed to recognize alternative point of view on a particular subject. This includes minority voices and "real" versions of some historical events. His suggestion to solve this dilemma is to present two or more narratives side by side to represent that there is more than one way to approach a subject or an event. He applauds places like Williamsburg that have incorporated this into their institution. Williamsburg once gave only a white, European, elitist view of history, and now incorporates an African perspective and addresses slavery.

In addition to multiple perspectives, Wallace also champion controversial exhibits. While he clarifies that these are not the only types of exhibits that can be successful, they are the most innovative and beneficial to the community. He believes that it is the job of museums to push the social envelop, and that politics are directly integrated with history. Wallace disagrees with conservatives who say that it is not the job of museums to participate in history, but merely to present it. He rattles off a list of creative exhibit ideas and encourages the field to embrace controversy.

Wallace also addresses the role of media in museums today. He uses the example of his baby granddaughter and how her generation will grow up in a completely media saturated world. He argues that in order for museums to continue, they must embrace and incorporate the digital revolution within their institutions. However, Wallace also states that there will never be a complete disconnect from objects and artifacts, and this these will continue to be the lifeblood of museums as a whole. Overall he presents the reader with a critical analysis of the museum field today and the changes that must be made in order for the field to progress and maintain its relevancy to future generations.

Sunday, September 9, 2007

Written In Stone & Paradise Lost?

Author Sanford Levinson offers a survey of selected commemorative monuments in his book Written in Stone: Public Monuments in Changing Societies. He focuses on monuments and historical symbols in the United States and offers European examples as a background to his argument. Levinson presents a complex analysis of the erection and interpretation of these historical memories encapsulated in stone, and ultimately leaves the reader with no solid conclusion. This is because the world of controversial monuments is very gray, and will always be debated by the public.

Levinson makes a good point that the controversy of many monuments stems from the inability of people to embrace their history as a whole. History is not a neat, pretty subject, and undesirable things have occurred since the beginning of time. As part of human nature, we reject any undesirable happenings and attempt to erase them from our remembered history. When this remembered history is displayed on a monument, at a historical site, or symbolized by a flag, it is easy to destroy.

The question Levinson raises is should this destruction of history take place? Does one single entity have the right to decide what is remembered, such as the government or private organization? Of course it is impossible to please everyone involved when it comes to a controversial monument. Levinson notes that there will never be one united point of view on any subject, controversial or not. However, compromise is possible when it comes to preserving history. Even if the object or symbol to be preserved is undesired by some, in the proper historical context it can serve as an educational tool for all. This is why Levinson states cases of museums preserving publicly undesired monuments and the establishment of statue parks. While these instances do not solve the issue of historical monuments, they can provide a compromise and a premise for dialogue.


Chapter 6: The Everglades and the Florida Dream

The history of the Everglades since man has inhabited Florida is largely one of destruction. Greed and power have led to the demise of the state's most unique natural habitat. While the Everglades is now a protected National Park, the struggle for this to occur has been a long and hard one. The area will never return to its original expansive size, and can not ever fully recover to its once untouched state.

Since the 1800s, the Everglades has been studied and explored by scientists and entrepreneurs alike. In the early twentieth century, the first efforts were made to "reclaim" the area and make it suitable for human inhabitation. This reclamation consisted of draining the wetlands and forming plots to sell to farmers. While numerous survey reports had been conducted on the Everglades throughout the 1900s, most were politically sponsored and produced incorrect and dangerous information. This information was used to justify the draining of the wetlands, and eventually backfired when none of the efforts worked. It even led to the loss of thousands of lives in the 1920s when hurricanes destroyed man made dikes and re-flooded the area.

Today, conservationists have taken a strong stand against further destruction of the Everglades. Governmental attempts to preserve the area have also been active in the form of the Comprehensive Review Study, which aims to "restore the environmental health of the beleaguered Everglades." Even with these good intentions, the government will never fully restore the wetlands, and may eventually cause more damage with their newly planted artificial saw grass marshes.

Though preservation attempts are being made, the Everglades will never fully recover. This serves as an important lesson to man about trying to fight nature. It is our duty to respect nature and try to live with it, rather than to tame or destroy it all together. Hopefully others will learn from the Everglades and preserve our country's natural beauty for future generations to enjoy.


Chapter 10: Alligators and Plume Birds: The Despoliation of Florida's Living Aesthetic

Alligators and plume birds have long been iconic symbols of Florida. They represent the exotic elements of the state, and have attracted tourists and new residents for over a century. Before Florida was widely settled, these animals numbered in the multi-millions. Today alligators have undergone a recovery from near extinction, while many plume birds have not been so fortunate.

These animals have suffered a parallel to the nearly extinct bison of the midwest. All were hunted for sport, fashion, or simply out of boredom. As bison were shot out of moving trains and their carcases left to rot, so too were the alligators and birds of Florida. However, Florida's animals suffered an even greater blow when they were found to be highly marketable in the early 1900s. Alligator hides created a lucrative trade that employed many Seminole Indians, and plume birds became highly valuable when their feathers became high fashion for ladies hats.

The only good thing to result from the devastation of these animal populations was the conservation movement became very active in Florida. The Audubon Society raised awareness, lobbied legislation, and established sanctuaries for birds. Alligator activists also helped by adding them to the endangered species list in the 1970s. While the devastation of these animals was so great that they will never return to their original numbers, the movement of conservation and activism has had a positive effect on the animals and Florida as a whole. The state is fighting hard to return to the natural paradise it was once noted to be, and with the continued efforts of these naturalists, hopefully it will succeed.

Monday, September 3, 2007

The Presence of the Past

In 1989, historians and researchers Roy Rosenzwieg and David Thelen gave birth to the ideas that would form The Presence of the Past. Their research stretched into the 1990s, and enough data was gathered for the book to be published at the end of the decade. Devoted to their project, the authors surveyed over 800 Americans and included a smaller minority sampling, to present an overview of how Americans interact with and perceive history. Their finding are encouraging, as they concluded that 91% of those surveyed had participated in at least one of the ten historical activities included in the survey over the past year. These results are invaluable to historians in the academic world, as they mean that almost all Americans have an active interest in history. The responsibility now lies with professionals in the field of history to facilitate and encourage a deeper interest in history by creating educational experiences for all Americans. For instance, public historians working at a museum have the responsibility to create the best possible experience for their visitors, ensuring that they will visit the institution again in the future, and hopefully other historical institutions.

Making history personally relevant is an important theme in The Presence of the Past. Whether this is done by a public historian connecting museum visitors to historical exhibits, or sharing family stories at a reunion, this personal connection to history is the most important element. Those surveyed for the project were asked about the most important event in their life. Many of those events were personal, but even those that were national events carried a personal attachment to what occurred. Americans are active in history as long is it pertains to them on an individual level. This helps us to understand why many participants described high school history class as "boring", because they could not and did not want to relate to a top-down overview of events irrelevant to their lives. This is important for academic historians to understand, because they have the opportunity to bring the rich subject of history into more lives if they can tackle the subject on a personal level and make it relevant to their audience.

The inclusion of Native Americans and African Americans at the end of the book is very important. As students of public history, it is our responsibility to understand all sides of a historical narrative. Everyone should be included in the story, not just those of white European descent. History had long been constructed by the dominant force in society, but that does not give anyone a right to disregard the other contributing voices. Those outside the majority have their own rich history to respect and learn from. As this survey shows, Native Americans and African Americans have as much of an attachment to history as the rest of the nation, if not more so because of traumatic events in their past.

The Presence of the Past is an important tool for all in the field of history. It shows us that we do not have that task of filling an empty vessel with historical knowledge. Instead, we have the privilege of working with our audience to build upon their experiences, and continue to make history personally relevant to the American public.