I don't have confidence in the NPS giving a fair shake as far as interpretation goes. If I recall correctly they put up a statue to the black Union troops at the Siege of Vicksburg, only problem was, as Ed Bearss pointed out, there were no black Union troops at the Siege. Didn't matter to them then and it has only gotten worse since then.
The scope of interpretation by the park was expanded by Congress in 2006. There weren't USCT at the siege, but there were USCT in battles during the campaign and afterward garrisoning the city and nearby points.
War is a political action. Full stop. Pretending it isn't leads to bad takes on history and having to repeat the lesson in the present.
Political correctness. Where you don't post images or things about the Confederacy because it offends people.
It's all part of inclusion, I think. Black troops may not have been a part of the siege operations but they were part of the Battle at Milliken's Bend across the river in Louisiana. This was part of the overall Vicksburg campaign. We live in times where inclusion is part of the national battlefield framework, so thus the monument to the black soldiers.
Forum HostI watched it a little while ago and it was interesting and a few of the locals did ask some great questions but I'm not sure of ust how they are going to deal with some issues. Below is the link so all can watch it.
War may be political action......but politics or culture wars 150 years later isn't relevant to the historical action...........pretending it is certainly does lead to bad takes.
Isn't that actually counter inclusion? If the majority of troops were regular troops.....shouldn't the focus actually reflect that?
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Forum HostThat should be interesting as they have some MAJOR issues to deal with for the occupation and reconstruction aspect of the so called interpretation.
otherwise would think they should try to remain focused on the actual park and events.
I have given a number of talks at VNMP over the last few years, including at the Mississippi African American monument, as a chapter of my dissertation on the Army of Vicksburg deals with slaves connected to the army as pressed laborers and body servants. The monument features three black men, two in United States uniform and a third in civilian dress who represents, "...all Mississippians of African descent who participated in the Vicksburg Campaign." You wouldn't necessarily know it from Ed Bearss' campaign history, but slaves constructed, improved, and repaired fortifications at Vicksburg from May 1862 to the final moments of the siege—these men, including about a hundred employed by the Confederate Engineers under Samuel Lockett, were under fire from shot and shell for the duration of the siege, some were wounded, and a few were killed.
Have you published your dissertation yet? Can I pay you for a copy?
The park already includes portions of Louisiana, Port Gibson, and Champion Hill with portions of Chickasaw Bayou and Raymond in the process of being added. The update to the park's mission included any relevant sites in Arkansas, Mississippi, and Louisiana.Would think adequately covering a 47 day siege on a 2500 acre NMP should take up alot of space.......much less if going to city reconstruction and postwar......
If wishing to include all the actions of the campaign......is it going to be the size of mall of America?
Bringing the