Michigan Civil War Blog

Progress on the sesquicentennial

The Michigan Civi War Sesquicentennial Committee met today to review an updated and revised plan based on public input from meetings and hearings around the State earlier this year. The Committee's charge was to recommend a document for next week's Michigan Historical Commission meeting in order to finalize the plan this year. Interesting and worthwhile suggestions received from the public are being incorporated, and the workplan is one that should well fulfill the direction given the Commission in EO 2007-52.

Michigan continues to move forward with the commemoration in a way that will be authentic, appropriate, and all-inclusive.

Grant: hero, myth, and forgotten

Just picked up Joan Waugh's US Grant: American Hero, American Myth. Yet another Grant book?! This one came out Fall 2009, so unlike many books that one prefers to let age a bit before plinking down the coin for it seemed worth a look, since Dr. Waugh attempts to explain how Grant could be so popular in his day and almost forgotten today.

The book caught the eye especially because of the Grant house here in Michigan. It was important 80 years ago when honored with a plaque by the Detroit Art Commission, and 70 years ago when renovated and donated to the people of Michigan by an insurance company, and 50 years ago when rescued from urban renewal by the same company and moved to the State Fairgrounds, and then viewable during the Civil War Centennial. Then, after a short period of renewed interest and reflected glory, it was consigned to utilitarian uses and eventually closed to the public. Would this have happened to a house occupied by a more modern hero, say, John F. Kennedy or Martin Luther King, Jr.?

Perhaps the appearance of the book will coincidentally mark a new chapter for Michigan's Grant connection.

An explanation

It's been a week or so since anything new appeared here. Blogger slacking off? Lazy? Nothing to say?

No. The culprit is that Typepad no longer enables the version of Explorer that is embedded on my laptop to run. So why not simply download a later version? Because I have to go thru a system administrator, and that requires some stuff I don't have time for. So, I'm using spouse's laptop right now, which is obviously more up-to-date than that other one.

So, is there anything to say? Well, sure. The past week has seen October 1 come and go. With that date came the end of the Michigan Department of History, Arts, and Libraries. Did anyone notice? Should they have?

No doubt the Michigan Historical Center staffers noticed. They had come over from the Michigan Secretary of State a decade ago to headline the new agency. It was a fateful 10 years, in which HAL was launched, sailed out onto placid seas, began to encounter headwinds, then fought a full-fledged gale. Funding was cut and herculean efforts had to be engaged to keep serving the people of Michigan. Finally, a tsunami engulfed the organization when the '09 worldwide and national plunge hit. The Governor and Legislature faced an enormous budget shortfall, and HAL's days were numbered.

What happened to the Civil War Sesquicentennial in all this? After all, isn't that the point of this blog?

Nothing. The Michigan Historical Commission still exists, it still has the responsibility of implementing EO 2007-52, and plans are still underway. Just this week, Michigan participated in the quarterly AASLH CWS conference call in which participating states and organizations share ideas and information. It is hoped that the Commission will look at a plan that incorporates the public input from this summer's public hearings by the end of year. 

At any rate, there is still a history program in Michigan, the Michigan Historical Center continues to live (now in the Department of Natural Resources), and the CW 150th in Michigan continues to be under construction. Please continue to check in here for Michigan and the Civil War news and information.

Thanks so much!

John Brown's Trial Begins

So is the caption on the final page for an article and picture in the October 2009 edition of the ABA Journal just arriving in mailboxes. (That's the 'American Bar Association' for you bankers who might be confused!) Since Brown's attack on the U.S. Armory at Harpers Ferry was 150 years ago October 16, this item under the regular "Precedents" feature is timely and, with the Civil War Sesquicentennial approaching, nice to see.

What is lacking in the article, though, is something I've always wondered: did Brown receive any kind of fair trial? How could he be tried in Virginia state court for treason, when not a Virginian? The attack was on a federal installation; why was a federal prosecution not proper? The trial began in late October, just a couple weeks after his capture/arrest; fair? Since forces under R.E. Lee and J.E.B. Stuart figured prominently in Brown's defeat, how did it come to be that he ended up in Virginia's custody? Did Brown receive adequate representation? Did local counsel who were appointed to represent him, at some point, do an adequate job?

On the custody issue, Lee's report, available online, says that he delivered Brown and the other prisoners "into the hands of the marshal of the western district of Virginia and the sheriff of Jefferson county." That's an interesting statement. How does one deliver a prisoner into the custody of two people?

One could go on and on, but it sure appears that abolitionist John Brown got the bum's rush and was hanged precipitously on December 2. The federal election eleven months later brought an anti-slavery candidate into the Nation's highest office. No doubt the Harpers Ferry event and its outcome influenced the electoral results.

[Perhaps we should have dug into this back at our March '09 Brown/Douglass seminar in Detroit.]

Civil War flags saved (explicitly)

In the ongoing saga of Michigan history...

As reported here before, due to the State of Michigan's grave budget situation as of 10/1/09, the Governor took action and issued an executive order in July eliminating the Department of History, Arts & Libraries, dispersing its units around State Government (EO 09-36).

The public responded. On August 26, the Governor issued an executive directive clarifying what would happen to certain collections, assets, and operations given public input (ED 09-5).

The Senate acted in late August by voting to reject the EO. It also passed a package of bills transferring HAL to the Secretary of State.

On Sept. 9, two days before the deadline expired for action by the House if it were to reject the EO, the Governor issued another one, further clarifying certain aspects of the plan (EO 09-43). Of particular relevance to this blog's main mission is the following passage:

"The Director of the Department of Natural Resources shall supervise and administer the assigned functions transferred to the Department of Natural Resources under Section II.H of this Order in such ways as to promote efficient administration and shall make internal organizational changes as may be administratively necessary to complete the realignment of responsibilities under this Order.  To achieve efficient administration and effectuate necessary cost savings consistent with appropriations provided by law, the Director shall evaluate and implement measures designed to reduce expenditures, eliminate duplicative services, and generate revenue while protecting the core functions of the former Department of History, Arts, and Libraries transferred to the Department of Natural Resources.  The guiding purpose of any and all such measures, consistent with the purpose and intent of this Order, shall be to strike a careful and prudent balance between the goal of achieving efficient administration and necessary cost savings and that of preserving and maintaining public access to the important and unique collections and resources entrusted to the former Department of History, Arts, and Libraries, including, but not limited to, Michigan's Civil War and other military flags."

It cannot be disputed now that Michigan has shown that it cares about Civil War heritage even despite tough economic times.

Someone thinks the Sesquicentennial is well worth it

From down in the Blue Grass State comes this news: "The Kentucky Historical Society (KHS) was notified on Thursday it will receive a $1,050,000 grant to help Kentucky commemorate the Civil War Sesquicentennial. The grant was part of a $29 million allocation for Transportation Enhancement projects."

“These funds will allow KHS to participate with Kentuckians in exploring a variety of Civil War related topics,” said Kent Whitworth, executive director of KHS. “In these tight economic times, this grant makes it possible for us to help citizens reflect on and learn more about an event that still affects our commonwealth today.”

Can this be legit? Sure thing, according to the National Transportation Enhancements Clearinghouse. Its website says there are 12 appropriate uses for federal TE funds, including:

-- Acquisition of scenic or historic easements and sites

-- Historic preservation - Preservation of buildings and facades in historic districts; restoration of historic buildings for transportation-related purposes; access improvements to historic sites.

Sounds like Kentucky has it right.

And sounds like an idea for other States ... like Michigan.

Sesqui vs. Centennial

David Blight, formerly of Flint MI, wrote an interesting piece (HigherEdChronicle) on what he sees as an important difference between the Virginia kick-off to the Sesqui and the Centennial observance a half-century ago. 

I must (again) point out that Michigan's first event on March 12 is on all points with Dr. Blight. The Michigan Civil War Sesquicentennial began with a seminar examining the visit of John Brown to the City of Detroit to meet with Frederick Douglass and the local African-American leadership. The seminar, organized with excellence by Dr. Martin Hershock, featured an examination of important antebellum issues relating to race, the coming fury, and Michigan.

Glad to see that the first two Sesqui events have gotten the commemoration off on the right foot.

Yoopers: chance for Sesqui input

On Saturday May 30, the Michigan Historical Commission will hold a public meeting at the Iron Industry Museum in Negaunee MI in the great Yoo-Pea of Michigan, from 2:00 pm EDT til 3:30 pm, for the purpose of receiving public input on its draft Civil War Sesquicentennial work plan: CWS plan.

Hope to see UP Michiganders there!

Another chance for Sesqui input

This coming Wednesday, the Michigan Historical Commission's Civil War Sesquicentennial Committee will hold its third public hearing to receive comments on the draft Commission work plan to implement the Governor's Executive Order. It's at 6:30 pm, Grand Valley State University Pew Campus, Richard M. DeVos Center, Room 109-D, 401 W. Fulton Street, Grand Rapids.

The Work Plan can be viewed here: MHC Sesqui.

Looking forward to input from those on the West Coast of Michigan!

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.