The Southern Past: A Class of Race and Memory by W. Fitzhugh Brundage
While reading The Southern Past: A Clash of Race and Memory by W. Fitzhugh Brundage, I like Jocelyn found myself constantly finding references back to Trouillot whom we read at the beginning of the semester. In attempting to construct detailed history of how Southern “historical memory” was created and changed from the antebellum period to the modern day, Brundage seems to be constantly looking over his shoulder to make sure to point out those points in time that historical fact and memory were commemorated or forgotten and how that related to the political and cultural motivations of the time period.
Throughout the book, Brundage tracks the changing meaning of what it means to be “Southern” and how race played into the construction of historical memory. Historical memory, defined by Brundage as the “amorphous and varied activities that southerners and others have employed to recall the past.” (Brundage, 4) Brundage goes on to explain that historical memory as different than simple individual memory:
“Collective or historical memory is not simply the articulation of some shared subconscious, but rather the product of intentional creation. (…) Collective remembering forges identity, justifies privilege, and sustains cultural norms.” (Brundage, 4)
This is perhaps the most succinct definition of historical memory we have received thus far, and the most clear. This clear definition is important as Brundage’s concept of historical memory forms the common thread throughout Brundage’s narrative which starts with the familiar history of the commemoration and the development of history of the Lost Cause by Southern white club women immediately following the war, then moves to the less permanent but very public demonstrations and establishment of African American memory through parades and pageants in the post-war period. Following this segment of history, Brundage discusses the movement by “professional” historians to archive the Civil War era around the turn of the century (which turn out to be largely archives of Southern whites due to available resources and sources of funding), then he moves forward to the African American movement to establish a black history movement lead by teachers in schools that changed greatly the established history of the Civil War during the 1920s and 30s. Brundage ends his narrative with the development of tourism and the selective remembrance in the 1920-30s era that was needed to market the south and finally the razing of historically African American communities to make way for urban revitalization in the 1950s to the 1970s.
To answer to Jocelyn’s question for whether a collective narrative among all Southerners that acknowledges all complexities and arrives at a truth can be found. I would argue that while Brundage may not have seen his own work as filling this gap, he gets closest to providing a complete narrative of the Southern past than any of our other authors. While Brundage may not have perfectly intertwined these layers of historical memory he not only describes the different narratives which groups have sought to remember at different times, he also explains why these narratives were important at the moments they were and shows his reader how, while each narrative is distinct, they all form together to create the collective narrative that has yet to be agreed upon. Even though this collective memory is not complete, I believe that through this book Brundage gets much closer to combining many of its aspects without losing how they were created, how, and why, important factors for both him and Trouillot.
It is in this expansive nature of Brundage’s work that I with Ryan that “With all three books under our belts, it seems to me that Brundage has crafted the most persuasive and fulfilling argument yet.” While I, like Ryan, think that my opinion may be slightly shaded by the fact that Brundage is the only historian to have carried out his research to the end of the 20th Century, I stand by my belief that Brundage’s narrative on the formation and remembrance of Southern historical memory is the most expansive and best weighted. By detailing each of the movements we have previously studied and introducing new ones, Brundage built an understanding of how history is formed, used, and influenced by the power dynamic of the time period, from the white supremacy and Lost Cause organizations of the antebellum period, to the power of white elected officials in the case of urban revitalization.
In response to Ryan’s critique regarding the role of Northerners in the Brundage book, I too would agree that he neglects this segment of society. However, as Brundage was concerned with the formation of historical memory of the South, not the history of reconciliation, I feel he cannot be faulted for excluding them from this already expansive piece. Brundage instead chose to focus his energy on telling the story of the South, not the story of reunion, and in this task of telling the story of the South, I believe he succeeds.
This book however raises some important questions as it presents for us several faults of historical memory of the past, including the “hero-worship” issue of black historians (Brundage, 180). My question is, how can we avoid a similar narrative of hero-worship in our study of Dowling so as to provide a more accurate portrayal of his role and the overall story of Sabine Pass, so that we are not subject to the same criticism?
ALSO—Special note: Did anyone else realize that Brundage talked about Emancipation Park? It was quick but a fun reference to something we’ve talked about in this class. See page 70 if you lost it.