Michigan Civil War Blog

Best Civil War movie on tonite?

Turner Classic Movies features Glory tonite at 8:00 pm EDT as part of a Denzel Washington slate of films. The TCM website says this:

Glory received widespread critical praise upon release with Variety proclaiming that it "has the sweep and magnificence of a Tolstoy battle tale or a John Ford saga of American history." Vincent Canby, The New York Times film critic, concurred, writing "Glory is the first serious American movie about the Civil War to be made in years. There haven't been that many anyway - D.W. Griffith's Birth of a Nation (1915), Buster Keaton's The General (1927), David O. Selznick's Gone with the Wind (1939) and John Huston's The Red Badge of Courage (1951). Almost everything else has been balderdash...Although Glory employs the devices of fiction and sometimes is as brightly colored as a recruiting poster, it seems as severe as a documentary alongside those earlier films...Glory is celebratory, but it celebrates in a manner that insists on acknowledging the sorrow. This is a good, moving, complicated film." In addition to Denzel Washington's Best Supporting Actor Oscar®, Glory was nominated for four other Academy Awards including Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Best Film Editing, Best Sound and Best Cinematography (by Freddie Francis); it won in the latter two categories.

Don't know why the Best Sound Oscar, but Best Cinematography? -- definitely! Hard to believe it was released two decades ago.

P.S. @ It's been awhile since I had seen the movie, so the emotion I felt watching it begin just now was surprising. Robert Osborne's introduction was informative, then the Tri-Star pictures intro, then...the spine-tingling overture as the words about Shaw and his letters appear...including a curious reference to his papers being at Harvard, what other movie opens with such an academic item?...and the quotations from a letter about African-Americans...and Union artillery racing down a road, after which the infantry steps into formation...and then Antietam, terrible Antietam, with shot and shell and carnage...and the face of Morgan Freeman appearing...and...the field hospital scene that cuts suddenly into Shaw's Boston drawing room (reminiscent of The Deerhunter) and the appearance of Frederick Douglass... The first 10 minutes might just be the most awful and awesome in motion picture history. I don't know if I can stand to watch the rest tonite.

History package and CW Sesqui

From the 4/29/09 edition of Gongwer:

SENATE MEMBERS PROPOSE SHIFTING CULTURAL FUNCTIONS TO STATE DEPT.

The functions of the Department of History, Arts and Libraries would be transferred to the Department of State under a 25-bill package that was unveiled Wednesday by Senate members.

The package will be sponsored by Republican and Democratic members both, but at a press conference announcing the proposal three Republicans said it was critical both for the state's economy and the maintenance of its cultural institutions to keep the state's library, historical center, archives and related agencies together under one administrative umbrella.

And Secretary of State Terri Land told reporters following the press conference that the state's cultural functions need a visible individual who can help promote their development and raise money for their operations.   That person could be she or her successor as secretary of state, she said.

Governor Jennifer Granholm announced earlier this year that she would eliminate the department as a cost savings measure, though she would keep its functions.   In her budget proposal she moved the different functions to different locations, for example, the library would have been moved to the Department of Education while the historical center would have gone to the Department of Natural Resources.   However, Ms. Granholm had not yet issued an executive order dismantling the department, and has had discussions with Michigan State University about taking over the functions of the library.

Sen. Tom George (R-Kalamazoo), who chairs the Senate Appropriations History, Arts and Libraries Subcommittee, said in public hearings witnesses called for all the cultural functions to be kept in one location.

Sen. Cameron Brown (R-Fawn River Twp.) said while the state needs to do all it can to keep its budget in check, "we don't want to engage in a misguided effort to take one step forward and two steps back" in terms of the cultural functions.

Before the creation of HAL under former Governor John Engler, a number of functions overseeing the state's cultural entities were under the Department of State, especially the history museum, and the Senate members said it made sense to return those functions to the department.

But other functions were spread around state government, with the Mackinac Island State Parks Commission in the DNR and the library under the Legislature.

Such a move was needed not just for budgetary reasons, but to ensure the state can take full advantage of historic tourism, Mr. George said.  In 2010 commemorations for the 150th anniversary of the Civil War begin (the war's first shots were in April 1861); in 2012 the bicentennial of the War of 1812 will begin (the first land battle in that war was actually the British Seizure of Mackinac Island); and 2013 will mark the 250th anniversary of the uprising of the Indian nations under Chief Pontiac.

And Ms. Land said clearly state government would not be able to finance additional monies for the state's historic centers, so a visible individual would be needed to go out and help raise both money and the visibility of the centers.

History package

Press Conference – April 29, 2009

Statement of Senator Cameron S. Brown 

 

Michigan’s own  Bruce Catton once wrote, “Michigan has a mysterious past and an incalculable future, attractive and terrifying by turns, but the moment where the two meet is always a time of transition.”  And so it is today. 

 

Our purpose this morning in launching a bipartisan 25 bill package is to help insure that our past is well-preserved in the present and future so that our quality of life can be enriched by the preservation of the past. A grounded knowledge of a people’s heritage is always their best springboard to the future. 

 

Good morning and thank you for joining us today as we recognize Michigan’s rich history and culture by announcing legislation aimed at collectively placing history, arts, and library programs in a new home within the Department of State.

 

As we offer this proposal, we wholeheartedly acknowledge the value of the Department of History, Arts and Libraries and commend the HAL staff for their excellent work since the department was first formed and codified in statute in 2001.

 

That said, Michigan is facing a staggering budget deficit causing us to examine all spending in state government.

 

Consequently, to streamline government, we accept the Governor’s proposal to consolidate and reorganize HAL programs.  But, in doing so, we want to ensure we do the right thing and don’t engage in a misguided process that takes us one step forward and two steps back. 

 

In the Governor’s budget recommendations, the Governor divided the HAL programs and moved them to six different state departments or agencies. 

 

Our proposal would keep these programs united in the Department of State to continue their synergies of working together.  We have a bipartisan, 25 bill package that would amend various statutes that currently reference HAL as administrator of programs and move these programs to the Department of State.

 

And why the Department of State?

 

Many of the HAL programs that are part of the Historical Center were formerly in the Department of State before HAL was created. 

 

In other states, Secretary of States have responsibility for these cultural heritage functions as Michigan’s Secretary of State did until HAL was formed.  In addition, the record-keeping function of the Department of State is a natural connection to the Library of Michigan.  The Office of the Great Seal in the Department of State handles filing responsibilities for many official documents, including public acts and executive orders. 

 

Our current Secretary of State supports this Senate proposal and has indicated a willingness to accept and advocate for these programs as part of the department.

 

It is imperative that we preserve and maintain the integrity of the historical center that includes the historical museum, the archives, archeology, the state historic preservation office, and the history magazine.  The Michigan Historical Museum is the flagship of the Michigan Historical Museum System that stretches up into the UP—a system of 11 museums in all.  Approximately 120,000 people per year - with about 70,000 of them being school children - visit the Michigan museum each year. 

 

We must protect our heritage – once these elements are divided, we lose all the good that has been accomplished. 

Michigander in the House(s)

Story here about how today is a ceremony at the U.S. Capitol visitor center for a new monument/statue to Battle Creek's own Sojourner Truth: Unveiling She is the first black woman to be honored with a bust at the Capitol. The sculpture is to remain on permanent display in Emancipation Hall, the underground center's main space. The First Lady will make remarks.

Apparently the site was specially authorized by Senate Concurrent Resolution 17, which passed both Houses of Congress on April 22 and 23.

Great story here (Choir) about how the event touches all of us as Americans, born here or an immigrant.

Avenue toward the future

Today was an incredible day in the Great Lake State, with overabundance of sunshine and warmth, and perhaps a peak of sun on the gloomy economic front with some good news from FoMoCo and several millions of dollars donated to Michigan State U and Kalamazoo College by an anonymous donor. Can't help but smile today.

We still have a deep hole to climb out of, no question. We must cling to these April 24ths and be thankful every time such blessings come our way. And when the storm clouds gather again, as they soon will, we must continue to be inspired.

Inspiration came from an unlikely source earlier this week. Stumbled upon the fact that in 1959 Civil War author and Michigander Bruce Catton delivered the 11th annual Cass Lecture and received an honorary doctorate of Humanities from Wayne State U. His remarks were entitled "Michigan's Past and the Nation's Future." As is typical with Catton, they were thoughtful and almost poetic. They concluded with this as he looked down the road:

"...it is here we need the kind of courage which a study of our own past can give us. We need boldness and we need imagination -- the boldness that finds materials for victory in the moment when the battle seems lost; the imagination that can look beyond the present crisis to the world that is waiting for us to enter it. We are not fighting a rear-guard action, after all. Our heritage contains the vision, the faith and the courage by which this dangerous path can be turned into an avenue toward the future. Man is still God's instrument on earth; his dreams are still things that can survive him and become real."

Boldness, imagination, vision, faith, courage, dreams. Let's think on these things...and let each of us be that instrument for victory.

The real Civil War end?

This question occurred to me when catching up on my regular Saturday a.m. CW blog-reading last weekend. An excellent site had an item that Lee's surrender on 4/9 represented "the end of a 4-year long rebellion": Civil War Memory.

Was this meant to be tongue in cheek?

Tell the notion that it was "the end" to the troops who fought at Spanish Fort and Fort Blakely (many on the Union side being African-American) at the same time, and with Confederates under arms still in the field. With the Confederate government still on the run on 4/9, was the rebellion really over? With Johnston's army still in the field on 4/9, was the rebellion really over? With the Trans-Mississippi still un-surrendered as of 4/9, was the rebellion really over?

Catton pinpoints May 26 as the day that "The last embers of the southern republic had been stamped out." (This Hallowed Ground, p. 397) I've read about firefighters having to return to the scene of what they thought was an extinguished fire because smoldering embers reignited. Perhaps 5/26 should more properly be considered the war's end. (There was, of course, the little matter of Reconstruction still to attend to.)

I'll check back on CWM next month to see.

Wings and Jackets

Last nite's Red Wings versus Blue Jackets game was sure a lot of fun to watch (sorry, Eric). Why? First playoff game in Columbus, a ramped-up crowd, cool home team jerseys, and -- ultimately -- a Wings victory made the nite very nice. I particularly liked seeing Jackets fans in the background during the pre-game, with several wearing kepis along with the deep blue jerseys. Then, during the game, our Detroit-based announcers talked about how Columbus coach Ken Hitchcock is a Civil War buff and how appropriate it is that he's coaching an NHL team whose name, logo, and jersey are all about the Civil War. The combination of sports and history really was awesome.

Town hall report

Attended the ALBC National Town Hall--Detroit tonite at The Henry Ford, where panelists were historians Douglas Brinkley, Darlene Clark Hine of Northwestern U, and John Stauffer of Harvard, along with Ambassador Andrew Young; moderator was Dr. Adam Green from U of Chicago. Taped live for rebroadcast on April 28 at 9 pm on WTVS-DPTV, the nearly two-hour long event explored issues of race and Lincoln's legacy. Detroit's Mosaic Youth Group performed three stirring a capella songs. Great event.

Local references abounded. Joe Louis. Rosa Parks. Michigan State University. And panelists reacted to clips of comments from a diversity of local folk.

This was the 4th of 10 such Townhall sessions. I think it was in the greatest possible setting, within the Henry Ford Museum where artifacts of our American history were all around. Truly a 'magical' nite.

And, it turns out, two nites from now are follow-up sessions at the Charles H. Wright Museum in Detroit, the Arab-American Museum in Dearborn, and the Plymouth Historical Museum in Plymouth, focusing on the continuing fight for freedom and equal opportunity for all Americans. Truly a continuing legacy of the Civil War.

Plenty of MI seminars to go around

Yesterday I attended the 51st Annual Michigan in Perspective Local History Conference at Wayne State University and the Detroit Public Library, organized for the first time by the Historical Society of Michigan. The keynote address at the DPL was by Prof. Margaret Washington of Cornell University, author of "Sojourner Truth's America." Dr. W described the great Truth in a most interesting account, including how she moved to Michigan to be closer to the pre-War action and counted Battle Creek as her beloved home. It made me want to get the book...soon! Conference continues today.

Monday nite is an open town hall sponsored by the Lincoln Bicentennial at The Henry Ford. Features Douglas Brinkley and other scholars and officials of note. Details here: April 20th

Then, next Wednesday nite -- April 22 at 6:30 pm -- is an event at the Charles H. Wright Museum in Detroit on Lincoln and his impact on minorities, notably African-Americans. Dr. Martin Hershock, so instrumental in putting on the March 12 CW Sesqui conference on Brown, is a featured participant. I cannot find any info online about it so can't post a link. But well worth attending, no doubt.

History isn't just bunk around here, you know.

Sesqui conference call

The AASLH hosted a quarterly audio meeting today among those who are involved from an official standpoint on the CWS. Some interesting developments: representatives from the National Park Service and National Endowment for the Humanities joined for the first time, and several other States also made first appearances. In other words, momentum continues to grow.

Hats off to Virginia's commission, for its representative reported that some 2,000 folks are to attend its first conference later this month. Wow. Michigan had 100 for its first event, and we were quite tickled. On the other hand, our focus was one State, while Virginia's has national scope. The green shade on this post, if you can see it, is reflected envy by the author.

Again, the sentiment of all is to be all-inclusive, to do a commemoration that reflects all of America. We've come a long way in 50 years. And that's a good thing.