Making Sense of ‘Shadows’

From Express Night Out: Making Sense of ‘Shadows’
The Civil War never really ended for art collector Julia “Judy” Norrell, who still struggles with its legacy.

“I’ve always tried to reconcile the South that I love with the South that I hate,” says Norrell, 77, an Arkansas native and D.C. resident who has acquired dozens of photographs of the conflict, taken from both Union and Confederate perspectives, in an effort to make the war make sense. “Because I’m Southern and because I’m a child of politicians, I’ve always had to reconcile.”

More than 30 images from Norrell’s collection are on view in the Corcoran Gallery of Art’s “Shadows of History” exhibit. The snapshots, including early forms of photographic media (such as tintype, ambrotype and cartes-de-visite portraits), depict stiffly posed soldiers, busy encampments and empty, war-ravaged towns. There are a number of works by famed Civil War photographers Mathew Brady, Alexander Garner and Timothy O’Sullivan, along with pieces by unknown artists.

Unlike modern-day war photos, there are no action shots; Civil War-era photography equipment was too cumbersome for dangerous situations. Instead, photogs focused on post-battle scenes, paying attention to composition and framing. Images were reproduced as engravings in newspapers. “This was the first time people were seeing photos of war,” says Kaitlin Booher, the Corcoran’s assistant curator of photography and media arts. “It was a moment when people’s relationship to images was being set.”

Four notable shots by an unknown photographer depict an African-American regiment, the Battery A of the 2nd United States Colored Artillery, practicing gun drills with the Army of Cumberland in Tennessee around 1863. Curators are still trying to discover the series’ purpose, but Norrell believes she’s the only collector who owns the entire sequence. “When these were offered to me, I had about 10 seconds to make a decision” about whether to buy them, Norrell says. “Something in me felt that never again in my lifetime would I be able to get them.”

Her collection has helped Norrell comprehend the “horror of the war,” as well as the extent to which African-Americans were involved on both sides of the conflict. “I have a whole new insight into the North,” Norrell says. “I understand the North and the South together now.”

Spotlight
“Shadows of History” also features works by Whitfield Lovell, including a life-size charcoal drawing of an African-American Civil War soldier on wooden boards. “It’s intimate, but also monumental in scale,” says Corcoran assistant curator Kaitlin Booher. Corcoran Gallery of Art, 500 17th St. NW; $8-$10, through May 20; 202-639-1700. (Farragut West)

Museum Envisioned By Black Veterans of Civil War is now Reality

From Black Stars: Museum Envisioned By Black Veterans of Civil War is now Reality

[Commentary: National]

President Obama's remarks at the Groundbreaking Ceremony of the National Museum of African American History and Culture; transcript provided by The White House

I want to thank everybody who helped to make this day happen. I want to thank Laura Bush; Secretary Salazar; Sam Brownback; my hero, Congressman John Lewis; Wayne Clough, and everybody who's worked so hard to make this possible.

I am so proud of Lonnie Bunch, who came here from Chicago, I want to point out. I remember having a conversation with him about this job when he was planning to embark on this extraordinary journey. And we could not be prouder of the work that he has done to help make this day possible. I promise to do my part by being brief.

As others have mentioned, this day has been a long time coming. The idea for a museum dedicated to African Americans was first put forward by black veterans of the Civil War. And years later, the call was picked up by members of the civil rights generation– by men and women who knew how to fight for what was right and strive for what is just. This is their day. This is your day. It’s an honor to be here to see the fruit of your labor.

It’s also fitting that this museum has found a home on the National Mall. As has been mentioned, it was on this ground long ago that lives were once traded, where hundreds of thousands once marched for jobs and for freedom. It was here that the pillars of our democracy were built, often by black hands. And it is on this spot --alongside the monuments to those who gave birth to this nation, and those who worked so hard to perfect it-- that generations will remember the sometimes difficult, often inspirational, but always central role that African Americans have played in the life of our country.

This museum will celebrate that history. Because just as the memories of our earliest days have been confined to dusty letters and faded pictures, the time will come when few people remember drinking from a colored water fountain, or boarding a segregated bus, or hearing in person Dr. King's voice boom down from the Lincoln Memorial. That’s why what we build here won't just be an achievement for our time, it will be a monument for all time. It will do more than simply keep those memories alive.

Just like the Air and Space Museum challenges us to set our sights higher, or the Natural History Museum encourages us to look closer, or the Holocaust Museum calls us to fight persecution wherever we find it, this museum should inspire us as well. It should stand as proof that the most important things in life rarely come quickly or easily. It should remind us that although we have yet to reach the mountaintop, we cannot stop climbing.

And that’s why, in moments like this, I think about Malia and Sasha. I think about my daughters and I think about your children, the millions of visitors who will stand where we stand long after we're gone. And I think about what I want them to experience. I think about what I want them to take away.

When our children look at Harriet Tubman Shaw or Nat Turner's bible or the plane flown by Tuskegee Airmen, I don’t want them to be seen as figures somehow larger than life. I want them to see how ordinary Americans could do extraordinary things; how men and women just like them had the courage and determination to right a wrong, to make it right.

I want my daughters to see the shackles that bound slaves on their voyage across the ocean and the shards of glass that flew from the 16th Street Baptist church, and understand that injustice and evil exist in the world. But I also want them to hear Louis Armstrong’s horn and learn about the Negro League and read the poems of Phyllis Wheatley. And I want them to appreciate this museum not just as a record of tragedy, but as a celebration of life.

When future generations hear these songs of pain and progress and struggle and sacrifice, I hope they will not think of them as somehow separate from the larger American story. I want them to see it as central -- an important part of our shared story. A call to see ourselves in one another. A call to remember that each of us is made in God’s image. That’s the history we will preserve within these walls. The history of a people who, in the words of Dr. King, “injected new meaning and dignity into the veins of civilization.”

May we remember their stories. May we live up to their example. Thank you, God bless you, and God bless the United States of America.

One hopes that this museum will also feature exhibits of black Africa today. It isn't a paradise there, either, and yet they're all black. But they're different tribes and each thinks they are superior to the other.... where have we heard that before? ; )

Ilinois: American Civil War & Indian Wars at McCord

From Trib Local-Orland Park: American Civil War & Indian Wars at McCord The American Civil War & Indian Wars
History will come alive as the McCord Gallery & Cultural Center presents a rare opportunity to view a museum quality collection of privately owned artifacts from the Civil War and the Indian Wars Thursday, March 1 – Sunday, March 4. The exhibit will be open to the public: 10:00am – 4:00pm. General Admission is $12; $10 for members. Children under 18, students and active military will be admitted free of charge. Special evening events will be held on Friday, March 2 & Saturday, March 3, 7:00pm $50 per guest.

A musket that belonged to mountain man Thomas Fitzpatrick who defended the Indian tribes in 1850, a flag carried in battle by Union infantryman Thomas Silence, and items from the Wagon Box Fight and the Fetterman Massacre (battles fought during Red Cloud’s War) are just a few of the items that will be on display. These intriguing artifacts will arouse curiosity in the viewer about the lives and times of their original owners and hopefully will lead to a better understanding of our history. Docents and Civil War re-enactors will be on hand during the exhibit to discuss the significance of the items. At the evening events guests will be able to handle selected weapons and lectures will be presented by Dr. Ted Karamanski, professor of History, Loyola University. Event Chairman, Jason Krausz of Palos Park, has announced that muskets will be fired in military arms demonstrations through out the weekend and Civil War souvenirs will be for sale.

McCord Gallery & Cultural Center is located at 9602 W. Creek Road (129th St. & LaGrange Rd.), Palos Park. For more information, visit www.mccordgallery.org. Please call 708-671-0648 for daytime general admission tickets or reservations for evening receptions.

Huntersville, NC: The Civil War returns (briefly) to the area

http://www.38thnct.com/

From Cornelius News: The Civil War returns (briefly) to the area

The return — albeit a brief one — of the American Civil War, along with Drop-in art at CAP, a Triumphant Quartet concert, a performance of an Oscar Wilde classic and the national TV spotlight shining on the Wildcats’ men’s basketball team, all highlight this weekend’s activities in our area. The Historic Rural Hill Farm will host the 38th North Carolina Infantry of 1862 for a historic Civil War encampment and company drill on Saturday. Lectures and demonstrations on the era are among the activities at the Huntersville park during the day.

Tennessee: Local Civil War events continue into March

From the Stewart Houston Times: Local Civil War events continue into March
The Sesquicentennial of the Civil War is being celebrated from 2011-2015, and in Stewart County, site of the Feb. 16, 1862, Battle of Fort Donelson, events to commemorate that action are in full swing.

In the last issue of The Stewart Houston Times, a listing of the local events surrounding the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Fort Donelson through Feb. 19 was printed.

The remaining local events are listed below as they were known at presstime. Please note that cancellations because of weather and schedule changes are possible, and it is recommended you contact the host of the event prior to verify the correct times and changes.

Saturday, Feb. 25
8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. at Fort Donelson National Battlefield, Donelson Parkway, Dover

A special exhibit of Civil War era artillery will be on display at the Fort Donelson visitor center during the visitor center’s normal hours of operation.

2 p.m. – Fort Donelson National Battlefield visitors’ center
Dr. William Mulligan Jr., Professor of History at Murray State University, will offer a compelling presentation on the 4th United States Colored Heavy Artillery and its unique contribution to the American Civil War. Sunday, Feb. 26

8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. Fort Donelson National Battlefield
A special exhibit of Civil War era artillery will be on display at the Fort Donelson visitor center during the visitor center’s normal hours of operation.

Friday - Sunday, March 2-4
150th Anniversary of the Battle of Fort Donelson, Cumberland City

The re-enactment will take place in the undeveloped section of the Stewart-Houston Industrial Park.

This is a national event re-enacting various aspects of the Battle of Fort Donelson, as well as including living history and a ladies’ tea and period ball, etc. Sunday will feature a memorial in the nearby Confederate cemetery. Friday is reserved for student groups. The event is sponsored locally by Porter’s Battery as well as The Armies of Tennessee and tnvacation.com. There is a fee to attend and to participate. For more information visit www.FortDonelson.org.

The Third Battle of Cool Spring – A Brief History

From : The Third Battle of Cool Spring – A Brief History

On July 17th and 18th, 1864, Clarke County, Virginia hosted what has come to be known as the Battle of Cool Spring, one of several American Civil War military engagements included in the Valley Campaigns of 1864. The battle was a Confederate victory however both sides suffered similar levels of casualties; 422 Union troops fell compared to 397 Confederacy troops.

The current Virginia National Golf Club has been proposed as the site of Cool Spring Battlefield Park - Photo Edward Leonard

The Second Battle of Cool Spring ensued in the late 1980’s when a land developer purchased the portion of Cool Spring battlefield site located on the eastern side of the Shenandoah River. The developer, Golf Links Inc., asked the County to approve the site for residential development, an eighteen-hole golf course and clubhouse facilities. Soon thereafter Clarke County found itself at the center of an international media storm as environmentalists expressing concerns about pesticide and fertilizer harm to the Shenandoah River and Chesapeake Bay pitted themselves against the Clarke County Board of Supervisors and nearby residents who supported the planned commercial development.

Although the development plan that was ultimately approved allowed the golf course operation to move forward, the business operation soon began a long a series of transfers and financial difficulties that raised questions about the suitability of the site for a financially viable golf course:

Date --Deed Book --Action 9/27/84 DB 158/1 Shenandoah Retreat to.Steven Damato, et al 1/9/86 DB 166/70 Steven Damato, et al to Mark Vogel, et al 7/6/88 DB 188/471 Mark Vogel, et al to Mark Heacock, et al Golflinks 6/4/96 DB 263/34 Mark Heacock et al to Virginia National Golf Club Inc. (default of debt payment) 2/6/02 DB 344/458 Virginia National Golf Club Inc. to Patriot Development Group, LLC 8/15/06 DB 464/481 Patriot Development Group LLC to Virginia National Golf Club, LLC 10/26/09 DB 515/341 Virginia National.Golf Course to SPE Holdings, Inc (Petition for Reorganization under US Bankruptcy Code)’

The Third Battle of Cool Springs
In December 2011, Clarke County was approached by the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority (NVRPA) director Paul Gilbert. Gilbert said that NVRPA was working with the Civil War Trust – an organization dedicated to preserving American Civil War battlefield sites – to consider purchasing the 194-acre Virginia National Golf Course and placing the property in permanent conservation easement with the Department of Historic Resources. Gilbert said that the Civil War Trust then planned to donate the property to NVRPA which in turn would create and manage the proposed Cool Spring Civil War Battlefield Park.

However, in order to make the plan a reality, Clarke County would need to join Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority. Cost to the County taxpayers would be $65,000 annually.

The first shots of the Third Battle of Cool Spring had been fired.

Proposed Park Profile
The proposed Cool Spring Civil War Battlefield Park site would cover 194 acres paralleling two miles of the Shenandoah River beginning from Virginia Route 7 to the West Virginia state line. The proposed site has existing road access from Virginia Route 7.

Civil War Trust and National Park Service experts say that the Battle of Cool Spring was a significant battlefield with unusual scenic and historic value. The Civil War Sites Advisory Commission Report says that the site is one of 384 principal battlefields identified nationwide as worthy of preservation. Across the river from the proposed park lies Holy Cross Abbey’s sprawling 1200-acres where most of the actual fighting took place in 1864. Thanks to the monastic community’s stewardship, much of the battlefield land has been preserved in open space.

The Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority plans to integrate the four miles of paved paths and existing buildings into the proposed park’s infrastructure. Combined with the current open space status of the monastery on the western side of the river, the 184-acre park purchase would ensure that nearly the entire Cool Spring battle theater was preserved.

Land Use Considerations
Clarke County has long supported open space preservation through the goals and objectives of the County’s Comprehensive Plan. According to County planning staff, the Cool Spring Battlefield Park fulfills several long-standing land use goals outlined in the Comprehensive Plan;

* Protecting the Shenandoah River and associated flood plain;

* Restoring, preserving and popularizing local historic resource with both local and national significance

* Enhancing economic development by utilizing the natural and historic resources of the County to attract tourism and businesses.

Site of proposed Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority Cool Spring Battlefield Park (Click to enlarge)

County planners also say that the proposed park is consistent with Clarke County Parks and Recreation Master Plan goal of providing passive recreation areas to County citizens and that the annual cost – about $5 per citizen – is a modest expense in exchange for gaining a well-managed park.

County officials also see the proposed park as a way to meet the County’s soon-to-be- imposed Environmental Protection Agency total maximum daily load (TMDL) limits for reducing pollution flows into the Chesapeake Bay. County officials say that elimination of the golf course and replacing it with riparian buffers and reforestation could address as much as five percent of the County’s TMDL reduction requirements. Much of the responsibility for achieving TMDL levels currently rests with the County’s agrarian interests.

County planners have also pointed to the proposed park as a high quality local attraction which will contribute to increased tourism and business development through sustained increased tax revenue and support for existing businesses.

Local Concerns Many County residents have voiced opinions both “for” and “against” a regional park on the banks of the Shenandoah River based on initial information presented by the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority. However, subsequent questions generated about the day-to-day operational challenges of operating the park have yet to be answered. Some of the issues raised include: - Staffing: Local residents have expressed concerns about potential trespassing, litter, fires, camping and criminal behavior at the park, especially after hours. NVRPA has not said definitively whether permanent staff would be stationed at the park. - Road Maintenance and Access: Because the existing access road from Virginia Route 7 is privately maintained, the County has limited authority on any final road maintenance agreement between Shenandoah Retreat residents and the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority. Concerns have also been raised regarding road maintenance on Parker Lane and limiting access to other Shenandoah Retreat roads. - Future Withdrawal from the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority: At Friday’s Clarke County Planning Commission meeting, one Planning Commissioner said that state law does allow for a county to withdraw from a regional authority provided that the authority does not suffer financial hardship resulting from the withdrawal. The official speculated that because NVRPA is already well funded, any future withdrawal by Clarke County would not cause a financial burden. However, the official also added that it would be unwise for the County to join the NVRPA with any plans to withdraw in the future.

- Litter: Concerns regarding litter and trash removal have been expressed with questions about how often trash will be removed and who will be responsible for litter cleanup at the park.

- Fire Safety: Residents have expressed concerns over camp fires and other unmonitored activity at the park site. Concerns have also been expressed about the impact and cost of additional fire calls on local volunteer fire companies.

- Camping: Concerns about over-night in the park have been expressed, although, NVRPA director Gilbert has said that overnight camping would not be allowed at the park.

- River Access: Although Shenandoah Retreat residents have a legally protected easement that guarantees access to the river even if the area is converted to a park, concerns still exist about how the boat launching and beach access would be handled.

The $65,000 Question
One significant issue that cannot be answered by NVRPA is whether the park’s $65K annual fee is the best use of taxpayer funding given the uncertainties associated with the state and federal economies. In order to decide the matter, some residents have raised the idea of a special public referendum about the park that would put the decision in the hands of voters rather than the Clarke County Board of Supervisors.

In the meantime, County officials have been considering potential funding approaches that would reallocate existing tax dollars to cover the costs. Although specific budget allocation amounts have not yet been proposed, a portion of the $65K price tag could come from several sources including money currently designated for promotion of economic development, funds set aside for use by the Clarke County Easement Authority, as well as a portion of the funds set aside for use by Clarke County Parks and Recreation for capital improvements to the Park.

Discussions have also been conducted with the Town of Berryville for financial support from an occupancy and meals tax. One county official said that it is possible that one or more private groups with interest in the park could offer additional financial support to the County to help offset the annual NVRPA membership fee.

Carpe Diem or Go-Slow? Nearly everyone in Clarke County seems to agree that the proposed Cool Spring Battlefield Park holds potential for the County. The problem is that some see the park’s potential as “positive” while others see the potential as “negative”. A recent public information meeting held on January 26th at the Blue Ridge Fire Hall was filled to capacity. During the session citizens heard the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority’s plan and in return raised specific issues that NVRPA is expected to address in time for the Board of Supervisors to review at February 13th work session.

Depending on the outcome of the February 13th session, an additional public information meeting could be held as early as February 21st.