South Carolina gets second chance to commemorate the Civil War
In the midst of the Civil War centennial in 1962, the South Carolina legislature voted the Confederate flag up to the dome of the Statehouse, adding to a long list of indelicately handled commemorations across the nation highlighting racial divides and old resentments.
With about three and a half years until the 150th anniversary of the beginning of the Civil War, state history buffs are gearing up for the bevy of historic milestones from 2011 to 2015 tied to the bloody four-year conflict.
The balancing act between political correctness and historical accuracy, Southern pride and national unity, and celebration and commemoration color the discussion, even though that's not what Rodger Stroup, director of the South Carolina Department of Archives and History, intends to elicit at this early stage.
"Yeah, it's kind of out there. At this point, that's not something I want to deal with," Stroup said.
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With about three and a half years until the 150th anniversary of the beginning of the Civil War, state history buffs are gearing up for the bevy of historic milestones from 2011 to 2015 tied to the bloody four-year conflict.
The balancing act between political correctness and historical accuracy, Southern pride and national unity, and celebration and commemoration color the discussion, even though that's not what Rodger Stroup, director of the South Carolina Department of Archives and History, intends to elicit at this early stage.
"Yeah, it's kind of out there. At this point, that's not something I want to deal with," Stroup said.