My Life

Ways to Support History

Date: March 29, 2013 Author: Grant Oster Comments: Leave a reply

Yesterday, in History from the Web, I mentioned how Tennessee residents could support the Tennessee Civil War Preservation Association (TCWPA) by signing up to receive a Civil War Sesquicentennial license plate for their car(s).

If you were saying to yourself, “Gee! That license plate was awesome, but I wanted to spend some more money today…” I have some options for you.

No, not giving to Hankering for History; though, if you really wanted to, I am sure that arrangements could be made. 

kickstarter-support-historyIf you aren’t familiar with sites like Kickstarter.com, Rockethub.com, or IndieGoGo.com, you should check them out. These websites allow individuals or groups to collect funds to promote and create ideas, books, inventions, etc. The following quotes are pulled from the websites’ FAQ pages to help better explain the concept.

“Kickstarter is a funding platform for creative projects. Everything from films, games, and music to art, design, and technology. Kickstarter is full of ambitious, innovative, and imaginative projects that are brought to life through the direct support of others.”

“Indiegogo is a crowdfunding platform where people who want to raise money can create fundraising campaigns to tell their story and get the word out. Indiegogo is also a place to discover what people all over the world are passionate about and how to get involved.”

Generally, what gets people to give is that the “backer” or the person that donates gets some form of perk based on the dollar amount of their donation. Over the last month or so, I have perused these sites to find either local projects (near Memphis, Tennessee) or history related projects. There are some fascinating ideas–and potential goldmines–to be found on these sites. Here are two examples of projects that have been fully funded: Animals from History and An Illustrative History in Profanity. 

Every once in a while, you will run across a campaign where the best perk is the good feeling that comes with giving. I made a donation yesterday to the Help my son go on a History tour campaign. Former United States Marine John Chacon wants to send his son on the 2014 Pocatello American Heritage tour. Below is a portion of the summary from John Chacon’s campaign.

Help-my-son-go-on-History-tour

John Chacon’s son

“My name is John Chacon and I am trying to send my son on the 2014 Pocatello American Heritage tour which is an education tour that sends local 8th graders to the east coast every spring to learn about our country’s history and allows them to get an upclose and personal look at how other people live and how our founding fathers started this great country. As a former United States Marine I learned the importance of travel and education as I was born here in a small Idaho town. My son Johnny is a great kid who is a student who learns a little slower than his peers and attends the resource room at his local middle school. Even though he has a learning disability he has managed to get good grades and progress far beyond my expectations. He is a hands on learner and picks up on things he can visually see much quicker than just reading a book.

Because he is in the resource room my wife and I have agreed that if we are able to go on this tour that one of us has to go with him and so because of that we have told him we are not sure if we can afford the costs of this trip which he has been begging to do all year. So this is why I am here to ask for help of raising the money now so that I can hopefully pay for this and give him the best gift we have ever been able to give. It not only gives him the trip but a lifetime of memories he will have for the rest of his life.”

I have traveled many, many places; however, never to our nation’s capital. Not only can I sympathize with his son’s deep desire to go to Washington D.C., to obtain the historical knowledge that is there to be gained; but I had the opportunity to go to D.C. when I was in eighth grade and I chose not too. I have a short list of regrets in my life, and that is the top tier of my list. I didn’t give much, $30, but I know that every bit counts. So, instead of going out to lunch tomorrow, eat at home and give $10 to this campaign. If not this campaign, than another; there are many ways to support history.

Skyline-Drive-In-Theater

Skyline Drive-In Theater

Just recently the Catlow Theater in Barrington, Illinois, raised over $175,000 to convert a historic 85-year-old theater into a fully functional digital theater. Right now the Skyline Drive-In Theater has 43 days to raise $30,000 to restore and convert their theater. The Skyline Drive-In Theater, which opened in 1964, is only one of five remaining drive-ins operating in the state of Washington. So if you live near Shelton, Washington, or you just want the opportunity to preserve history and get some cool perks (Skyline travel mugs, t-shirts, blankets, vintage cinematography equipment), support history by supporting the theater with a donation!

 

Casey Jones 150th Birthday Celebration

Date: March 15, 2013 Author: Grant Oster Comments: 6 Replies
Casey-Jones-150th-Birthday-Celebration

Casey Jones 150th Birthday Celebration

Yesterday was the 150th birthday celebration for Jonathan Luther “Casey” Jones. You know me, I had to go by and visit. I am always up for a good historical field trip, and the festivities in Jackson, Tennessee, were just down the road. I borrowed my wife’s Honda Civic (which gets awesome gas mileage), turned on a lecture from The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, and headed north.

I didn’t want to study and analyze every article online before I went up to the museum, otherwise there would be nothing new for me to learn; however, I did want to briefly refresh. In doing so, I thought back to my first encounter of Casey Jones.

My earliest memory of Casey Jones came from Disney’s Casey Jones, the Brave Engineer. I remember watching this as a kid and thinking that Casey Jones was a bad-ass. (It’s no wonder that the Grateful Dead had their own Rock N’ Roll version of Casey Jones.) While this short, animated story shows Casey’s ambition to never be late, the ending is rather disappointing. It paints Casey Jones as a man who overcomes all obstacles (including scooping a girl off the tracks while riding the cow-catcher of his moving train–yes, it really happened), and still coming out a winner at the end. Disney’s version shows Casey Jones surviving the train wreck and delivering the mail (somewhat) promptly.

Casey Jones, the Brave Engineer

As we know, this just is not correct. Casey Jones did, in fact, have a horrific train wreck, but dying in this wreck is what made him a legend. Traveling at a high pace, Casey Jones had made up for the train’s late departure and lost time. (This lost time was no fault of his own.) As Casey Jones was coming into his station, there was a passenger train that had stalled on the main track. Traveling at a rate of 75 mph, Casey could not stop his train before it collided with the passenger train; however, he did manage to slow it significantly. Because Casey Jones sacrificed his life and stayed on board to slow the train, he no doubt saved the passengers from serious injury and death. Casey, the only fatality from this horrific event, was found with his hands still clutched the train’s whistle cord and brake.

Casey-Jones-Train-Wreck

Now that I have cleared that up (thanks Walt Disney!), back to the celebration.

I had never been to the Casey Jones museum before. (I don’t think…my parents might correct me later. I certainly don’t remember ever going.) The museum was full of Casey Jones material, ranging from childhood to his death; Illinois Central railroad history, some with and some without Casey Jones; history about the founding of the museum; and of course no southern museum is complete without a section dedicated to the American Civil War. While each aspect was fascinating, the part that I thought was most interesting was his name. I had always assumed that Casey Jones’ name was Casey Jones. The story of how he got his nickname is simple, yet significant to Jackson, Tennessee’s, long-lasting impression on Casey Jones.

how-casey-jones-got-his-name

How Casey Jones got His Name

Unfortunately, I did not make it to the museum at 10:00 am when the majority of the special activities occurred. From what I understand though, there was cake and Casey Jones’ grandchildren were present. I did get to hear some live music while I was there. If you are into folksy, southern-banjo music, you can check out the clip I uploaded on Youtube.

I was glad to have the opportunity to go see this museum (for free), but I would have been disappointed if I had driven more than an hour’s drive. With the fliers and brouhaha in the newspapers, I was expecting a little more excitement. I took a few pictures if you want to check out the gallery.

Which Amendment from the Bill of Rights is Worthy of a Paper?

Date: March 13, 2013 Author: Grant Oster Comments: 18 Replies

bill-of-rights

I am about to start a research paper for my United States Constitutional History class. I have the following assignment and would love to have input from you guys.

Pick a clause of the original Constitution or Bill of Rights. Trace the meaning and application of that clause.

  • First, why did the Framers insert it in the Constitution?
  • What was their understanding of it? How has the Court interpreted it?
  • Be certain to include instances of changing historical circumstances–things that the Framers could not have predicted–that have influenced the Court’s interpretation. You should not only note how the Court has interpreted the Clause and its application of Constitutional doctrine, but also the methods the Court used.

While I know a plethora of information can be found on each of the possible clauses and Amendments, I’d love to write about something that might not be so well-known. No doubt all the U.S. Constitution’s clauses and Bill of Rights are interesting, but is there a certain one that is really worth digging into? If anyone has any input or direction, I’d love to hear it.

I Saw the Emancipation Proclamation, With My Own Eyes!

Date: February 20, 2013 Author: Grant Oster Comments: 4 Replies

Discover-the-Civil WarDiscovering the Civil War

For those of you that follow me on Facebook and Twitter, you have probably seen mention that I was going to see the Emancipation Proclamation. The “Discovering the Civil War” tour is currently in Nashville, Tennessee, and the main attraction for this exhibit was the Emancipation Proclamation. For the first several days, the original Emancipation Proclamation was on display; however, because of the age and condition of the document, the amount of time that it was allowed on display was very limited. For the rest of the exhibit, facsimile documents will be on display.

When I heard that the reservation tickets had all sold out and that the museum was offering “limited walk-in availability,” I was concerned that I would travel the whole way there and not get to see the document. My brother, a resident of Nashville, was kind enough to allow me to stay with him and accompanied me to see the exhibit–so lodging wasn’t an issue. Because it was Presidents’ Day, we weren’t sure how many people would be there for the opening at 10:00 am. Upon arrival we parked, went inside, and waited in line hoping to get advanced tickets. Luckily, arriving about an hour early, there were only a few people ahead of us in line. We got our tickets and toured the rest of the museum while we waited for our turn to see the document.

Emancipation Proclamation Admit Ticket

The Tennessee State Museum–which by the way is always free–had an excellent variety of exhibits on display. There was a lot of Andrew Jackson material and a lot of Civil War material, both of which I find interesting. The thing about museums is that you will always learn something. I have never been to a museum and not had the opportunity to walk away with some additional knowledge. I have yet to exit a historical establishment and say to myself, “Gee, what a waste of my time! I didn’t learn a single thing.”

Felix-Grundy

Hanging out with Felix Grundy

For instance, I had never heard of Felix Grundy before. He played a very important role in early American history. He was a Tennessee politician and was influential in the lives of three United States presidents. More importantly, this portrait was on display to show the potential of historical restoration. I wish I had taken a before picture to show you, but trust me, they did an excellent job restoring this 1858 oil on canvas painting.

An exhibit that I thought was very interesting was the wall display of Confederate states’ money. If you’ve visited Hankering for History for a while, you know that I’ve written before about the 9000% inflation rate that the Confederate States of America faced at the end of the American Civil War. So while this particular exhibit in the museum may have had the most pieces in its collection, it’s not worth the paper it’s printed on. (Well, it may be worth something now…but you get what I am saying.)

 

Confederate-Money

Hundred and hundreds of Confederate State bills.

 

Let’s get back to the Emancipation Proclamation though. Because of the fragile state of the document, no one was allowed to take pictures. (Unfortunately, some people can’t be trusted to take pictures and not use their camera’s flash.) I was hoping to be able to have a picture for you guys. :(

One of my very first post was about the Emancipation Proclamation. Through my writing, I implied that the Emancipation Proclamation was a joke. It didn’t free the slaves that were under Union control or that lived in the North. It was seen by many as an empty gesture. President Lincoln’s Secretary of State William H. Seward, the penmen of the Emancipation Proclamation, stated the following:

“We show our sympathy with slavery by emancipating slaves where we cannot reach them and holding them in bondage where we can set them free.”

William H. Seward

That being said, in my original post I did not give this document its proper acclamation. While it is true that it wasn’t an effective tool at the time (it was politically, but it didn’t help end slavery), it did lay down the foundation for the 13th Amendment.

What I wasn’t expecting was to see the 13th Amendment. I had missed that tidbit of information on the Tennessee State Museum website. So not only did I get to see the original Emancipation Proclamation, but I also got the chance to see the original 13th Amendment. As I was leaving the room with the Emancipation Proclamation and the 13th Amendment, I noticed a long line had appeared. The people (pictured below) were waiting to get in to see the Emancipation Proclamation. This was a steadily moving and constantly growing line. It made me proud–proud to see people interested in history.

Emancipation-Proclamation-Crowd.

On a holiday, where so many could have been at home or doing something they deemed more interesting, hundreds of people were lining up to walk past documents that had such a profound impact on America. The ripple effect of the Emancipation Proclamation and the 13th Amendment would forever end slavery and change America’s ideology and beliefs about cultural issues–such as rights for minorities and women.

People from all over the nation flocked to Nashville to spend seconds with these documents. Men dressed in Civil War reenactment attire, along with a Tennessee State Trooper, stood guard over the documents and in typical State Trooper fashion exerted a “move along” presence, pushing the people along.

There are few events–of historical significance–that I have attended in my short life, and I am glad to have added this to my list.

 

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

Date: January 21, 2013 Author: Grant Oster Comments: 12 Replies

The third Monday in January is commonly known as Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Martin Luther King Day, or my favorite MLK Day. What you might not know is that many states clump this holiday with their own state’s holiday(s).

Lorraine-Motel-Memphis

The Lorraine Motel / National Civil Rights Museum
(Hankering for History Original Photo)

For instance, today is Lee–Jackson–King Day in Virginia. The state of Virginia uses this day to celebrate not only the memory of Martin Luther King, Jr., but also the memories of Robert E. Lee and “Stonewall” Jackson. This is not  an uncommon practice across the nation. There are several states that have decided that today is not only for Dr. King. In the southern states of Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, and  Mississippi, today is a day to celebrate the birth of Robert E. Lee. Whether these southern states intended it as an actual day of remembrance, along with the remembrance of Martin Luther King, Jr., or just an opportunity to spit in the face of the holiday by clumping together an African-American civil rights leader and a General–if victorious– who would have kept King’s people in chains for decades, is unbeknownst to me.

However, there are states who are in the spirit of what King stood for and have marked this day not only as a celebration for Dr. King, but for what he stood for. In Arizona and New Hampshire, today is Civil Rights Day, and in Idaho, it is it Human Rights Day.

This not a post to talk about his excellent work as a non-violence civil rights leader or his expertise in civil disobedience.

This is not a post to call out Dr. King as a plagiarist or an adulterous man; we all fall short.

This is to remind everyone from where we have come, as a nation. I myself was not alive during the civil rights era, but from what I have read and seen, I believe that America is in a better place than it was fifty years ago. Well, maybe not financially, but with today being the second Presidential Inauguration of America’s first black president, you have to admit that America has become more egalitarian.

The assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was such a devastating blow to America’s value system that flags across the nation were lowered to half mast. Wall Street closed for the first time in its history for a private citizen.  Even George Wallace, one of America’s most notorious segregationist, described the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. as a “senseless, regrettable act.” (Of course, some would argue that he only regretted not being able to pull the trigger himself…)

I think it was said best by Gandhi, when she stated,

“[King's assassination] is a setback to mankind’s search for light. Violence removed one of the great men of the world.” - Indira Gandhi

Boycott-National-Civil-Rights

I took the opportunity to go by the Lorraine Motel (Now the National Civil Rights Museum) to pay my respects to Martin Luther King. The museum is currently in the middle of making major renovations to the museum/motel. I was a little surprised by what I saw. Read the banner to the right.

Do people really think that the National Civil Rights Museum is here to “celebrate death and violence?” The National Civil Rights Museum’s website has the following on their website as its mission:

“… the Museum exists to assist the public in understanding the lessons of the Civil Rights Movement and its impact and influence on human rights movements worldwide, through its collections, exhibitions, research and educational programs.”

How could you even confuse the two? I understand that $27 million could provide good elsewhere, but come on. There is no way that anyone can actually believe that the museum was established to “celebrate death and violence.”

On a side note, I just finished Hellhound On His Trail, a National Bestseller about the assassination of Dr. King. Check out my book review on it!