From Southwest Ledger Possibly the most misunderstood and controversial character of the Civil War is John Brown. As a child growing up in Virginia, I was taught that Brown was the enemy; a religious fanatic who was bent on violence to stop Virginia’s way of life by any means necessary. It was almost the same … Continue reading Reviewing Tony Horwitz’s ‘Midnight Rising: John Brown and the Raid That Sparked the Civil War’
Tag: slavery
Abortion, Marijuana, and Slavery
One of the topics I try to avoid in class is abortion. There is a good reason for this avoidance; it is one of the subjects that inspires such passion that it is nearly impossible for any real civil discourse. Historically, abortion has been a key issue of every election since Roe V. Wade. … Continue reading Abortion, Marijuana, and Slavery
Historical Monuments
Sports, race, and culture are again making headlines and another statue has fallen. Even though this is a sports story, the statue in question oddly is not an athlete, but Kate Smith, a legendary singer from the 1930s. She has been connected to the Philadelphia Flyers since 1974, when she sang “God Bless America” before … Continue reading Historical Monuments
Historical Comparisons
Historical Comparisons In a recent interview, basketball megastar LeBron James compared NFL owners to plantation slave owners. He was not the first to do so. In fact, it has become a common way to describe NFL owners. In some ways, I understand the reasons to make historical comparisons. This entire column is dedicated to doing … Continue reading Historical Comparisons
Historically Speaking 