Confederate Monuments and a Lesson in History
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Lighting The Road To The Future Up Close Data with K. Zone Michelle Page 7 “The People’s Paper” August 1 - August 7, 2015 50th Year Volume 14 www.ladatanews.com A Data News Weekly Exclusive Confederate Monuments and a Lesson in History Mayor Landrieu Calls for Removal of Confederate Monuments Page 2 Special Dollars & Sense First Lady Minority of the Banks Black Press Shut Out Page 5 Page 10 Page 2 August 1 - August 7, 2015 Cover Story www.ladatanews.com Confederate Monuments and a Lesson in History Mayor Landrieu Calls for Removal of Confederate Monuments How Will this Reshape Telling the Story of the History of New Orleans With the recent debate surrounding the Confederate Flag in South Carolina, New Orleans is now at the center of a debate about what to do with four public monuments attached to the Confederacy. Above, groups gather to protest the statue erected in Lee Circle, memorial to Confederate General Robert E. Lee. By Edwin Buggage ried and colorful history; questions have arisen about people has come through leaving their mark; becom- what aspects of the City should we observe, recognize ing one of the many ingredients in the gumbo that is and celebrate . When you look back at nearly three cen- called New Orleans . History of a City: A Matter of Perspective turies you see a City that’s dealt with the challenges Today in an age that we see history being revisited As New Orleans gets ready to celebrate its 300th of rebuilding a City after fire, war, and disasters, both and revised to reflect a larger reality and hearing the Anniversary in 2018, where it will look back on its sto- natural and man-made . It is a City that many different voices and perspectives of those who were once voice- Cover Story, Continued on next page. DATA NEWS WEEKLY P.O. Box 57347, New Orleans, LA 70157-7347 | Phone: (504) 821-7421 | Fax: (504) 821-7622 INSIDE DATA editorial: [email protected] | advertising: [email protected] Terry B. Jones Contributors Art Direction & Production CEO/Publisher Edwin Buggage MainorMedia.com Jazelle Hunt Cover Story . 2 Commentary . 8. Edwin Buggage Editorial Submissions Terry B. Jones datanewseditor@ Editor bellsouth.net State and Local News . 4 In The Spirit . 9. Melanie Mainor Calla Victoria Advertising Inquiries Marc Morial datanewsad@ Executive Assistant Special Feature . 5 Dollar & Sense . 10. Julianne Malveaux bellsouth.net Distribution June Hazeur James Washington Data Zone . 6 National News . 11. On The Run Accounting Shantella Y. Sherman Courier Services Please call 504-309-9913 for subscription information or to obtain a back issue of the paper ONLY. Dated material two weeks in advance. Not responsible for publishing or return of unsolicited manuscripts or photos. www.ladatanews.com Cover Story August 1 - August 7, 2015 Page 3 Cover Story, Continued from previous page. L to r : Pierre Gustave Toutant-Beauregard was a Southern military officer, politician, inventor, writer, civil servant, and the first prominent general of the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. Jefferson Finis Davis was an American politician who was the President of the Confederate States of America during the American Civil War. General Robert E. Lee was an American soldier best known for commanding the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia in the American Civil War from 1862 until his surrender in 1865. less a controversy has arisen from 1960’s at which time he was arrest- and the Rise of White William Pitt Kellogg, and General a lost cause, instead it commemo- those who feel these voices are not ed and dragged by his heels down a Supremacy James Longstreet, Commander of rates a victory that was seen by valid and is an example of politi- flight of stairs . In the 1993 incident To put this story in context one the militia and police force in the many White New Orleanians as the cal correctness gone too far . With he was arrested and was placed in must understand what was going battle, took refuge in the federal de facto, if not official, end of Recon- the recent debate surrounding the a chokehold by members of the on at the time . Below is an excerpt customhouse, a building that the struction . To those on the losing Confederate Flag in South Carolina, NOPD . Today he stands as a hero from Chris Cook’s Blog, “Lagniappe White League was rightfully wary side of the Democratic takeover of New Orleans is now at the center of widening the lanes of democracy and Other Perspectives,” also while of taking by force . Three days later, government after Reconstruction, of a debate about what to do with in New Orleans with an express- reading you may see historical par- federal troops arrived in New Or- the Black citizens who saw their four public monuments attached way, school, Charity Hospital was allels . leans and the White League capitu- civil rights disappear in successive to the confederacy . Should they be renamed and a statue was erected The “Battle” of Liberty Place lated . As with the Lost Cause move- redrafts of the state constitution; removed and what will that mean in his honor of his contribution to was essentially a coup in which the ment’s later reinterpretation of the monument memorializes the moving forward? the history of New Orleans . White League of New Orleans de- General Robert E . Lee’s surrender beginning of Jim Crow . In regards to the issue of Con- posed the State’s Republican Gov- at Appomattox, the White League Landrieu Proposes federacy and it’s symbols there are ernor by force . The 1872 election found a way to interpret their sur- Confederacy, Racism, Removing City Monuments advocates on both sides of this is- cycle, like many during the period, render to federal forces as a moral History, Healing and that Celebrates sue who have strong opinions, but was one fraught with accounts and victory . Accepting Change Confederates, but Does the question we must ask ourselves allegations of voter fraud and intimi- The 1880s and 1890s were a pe- New Orleans is a City filled Removing a Monument is how do we write our history and dation at the polls . In the guberna- riod of celebration for Confederate with reminders of the Confederacy Erase a History of who determines what is important? torial contest, both the Republicans heroes and ideals, as their 1865 de- one can just look at the Confeder- Oppression and Exclusion? And does the removing of monu- and Democrats declared their side feat became a distant memory after ate Memorial Hall that opened its Recently, New Orleans Mayor ments erase the memories or re- the victor (though it is hard to imag- the end of Federal Reconstruction . doors in New Orleans on January 8, Mitch Landrieu has called for the dress things in a way that leads to ine a legitimate Democratic victory The cultural and political movement 1891, and since that time has been removal of four of the City’s most any resolutions? Ultimately, the at a time when a significant percent- referred to as the Lost Cause of the commemorating the military his- well-known monuments that’s con- larger question as it relates to his- age of the Black vote was needed Confederacy redefined the Civil tory and heritage of the South . The nected to the Confederacy: Statues tory is how do you paint a complete to win office), creating a stalemate War experience, and in doing so museum is the oldest in Louisiana of Confederate Generals Robert E . picture of times past with everyone that drug on for two years . In rural erased from the public conscious- and houses one of the largest col- Lee and P .G .T . Beauregard; a statue at the table determining how it will Louisiana, branches of the White ness the defeat of the Confederacy lections of Confederate memora- of Jefferson Davis, the President be presented? League perpetrated the Colfax and and emphasized victory over Black bilia in the United States . of the Confederacy; and an obelisk In the age of expanded and in- Coushatta Massacres to ensure the politicians and the federal imposi- Also of note when one think of commemorating the Battle of Lib- stant access to information it is vital recognition of Democratic Candi- tion of civil rights protections . In history and historical figures one erty Place, a bloody confrontation that educating people is a valuable date John McEnery . Rather than 1889, the United Confederate Vet- must not trap them in a static mode instigated by ex-Confederates look- tool in assessing and redressing a pursuing such outright violence, as- erans Organization was founded in of judging them and their views for ing to overthrow the State’s Recon- past to move towards a better fu- sassination, and mayhem to claim New Orleans, growing steadily into these things are dynamic and evo- struction government; a battle that ture . So as opposed to a caricatur- the election, the White League a large, national organization by the lutionary in nature and shaped by led to the end of Federal Recon- ing of the Confederates and those in New Orleans organized an im- turn of the Twentieth Century and many forces both external and in- struction in New Orleans and the who served as just a bunch of racist promptu army on the morning of becoming a strong force for rede- ternal . So when we look, view them beginning of Jim Crow Laws that and the Union Army and northern- September 14, 1874 to seize the fining the South’s relationship with through the lens of history we see made racial segregation the law of ers as believing in social equality government of Louisiana itself .