Race and Reunion
The Civil War in American Memory
Book • 2023
In *Race and Reunion*, David Blight examines how Americans remembered the Civil War during the fifty years following the conflict.
He identifies three main visions of Civil War memory: the reconciliationist vision, which emphasized common sacrifices and ignored ideological divisions; the white supremacist vision, which marginalized the role of slavery; and the emancipationist vision, which centered on slavery and emancipation.
Blight delves into topics such as decoration days, veterans, politics, and literature to show how these visions developed and changed over time.
The book highlights how the drive for national reunion often overshadowed the emancipationist vision, leading to a segregated memory of the Civil War, but also notes the persistence of the emancipationist legacy in American culture.
He identifies three main visions of Civil War memory: the reconciliationist vision, which emphasized common sacrifices and ignored ideological divisions; the white supremacist vision, which marginalized the role of slavery; and the emancipationist vision, which centered on slavery and emancipation.
Blight delves into topics such as decoration days, veterans, politics, and literature to show how these visions developed and changed over time.
The book highlights how the drive for national reunion often overshadowed the emancipationist vision, leading to a segregated memory of the Civil War, but also notes the persistence of the emancipationist legacy in American culture.
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