Bacon's Rebellion

Democracy Thrives in Sunlight

Ask a Slave!

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by

Peter Galuszka
in ,

By Peter Galuszka

Historical reenacting is a major pastime in our state and region, but it should hinge on fact.

Ever since I was about six years old, my parents would drag me to Colonial Williamsburg where we got the White Toast version of what life in Ole Virginny was supposed to be like.The darkies were all happy serving their masters who were the very wise Founders. I should try to be like them.

On other hand, some Civil War re-enactors from either side are so into their craft that they baste their beards with bacon grease to get that exquisite smell.

Thus, it is a delight to watch actress and comedian Azie Mira Dungey do her brilliant “Ask a Slave” routine. Dungey, originally from the D.C. area, was a real re-enactor at the George Washington home at Mount Vernon where she endured plenty of stupid questions from her mostly white and suburban audience about what it was like to be Martha Washington’s slave.

It all boils down to how the people who control history want it to be portrayed.

Dungey used to live in D.C., Prince Georges County and College Park and studied at New York University. She now is based in Los  Angeles.

Bravo!

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8 responses to “Ask a Slave!”

  1. DJRippert Avatar
    DJRippert

    I have always wondered why there wasn’t a place that documented the life of the slaves in a realistic manner. Growing up in Virginia almost nothing was ever taught about slavery or slaves’ lives. In high school we all knew there were people in our area who were descended from the slaves freed by George Washington or Martha Washington on their deaths. In fact, Gum Springs (near Mt Vernon) is well recognized for the fact that it was originally inhabited by slaves freed by the Washingtons.

    Despite all this history within walking distance of our high school there was virtually no discussion of the lives that slaves actually led.

    I always had the impression that the black folks didn’t want to discuss it because it is painful and the white folks didn’t want to discuss it because they felt embarrassed and guilty. Therefore, I am not really surprised by the silly questions.

  2. larryg Avatar
    larryg

    we’ve had some interesting discussions with the Park Service involved with the black community in the Fredericksburg Area – especially with regard to the “history” NOT covered in our Battlefield Parks – and the proffered history of what blacks slaves did – who lived near the Union/Confederate lines during the civil war.

    http://blog.preservationnation.org/2012/10/15/crossing-the-rappahannock-a-pilgrimage-to-freedom/#.Ui4bn8bfBXY

    Ask yourself why this is not a memorialized event of the Civil War like so many Battlefields are.

    why?

  3. larryg Avatar
    larryg

    computer models are fine, BTW. I spent 30+ years with them but all the ones I ever worked with had to be validated with respect to real world data and results.

    Computer models are, BTW, what most weapon systems use to come up with a fire control “solution” – i.e. what the instructions are you give to a weapon you are about to launch.

    but that model absolutely, positively has to give correct instructions – the “presettings” if you will, to the weapon.

    and you only way you can do that is to verify and validate (they are not the same) the model itself.

    And that is not a trivial exercise.

    it requires running the model with real world data – and then checking the output of the model to see if it generates data that compares well to real world data.

    The Chesapeake Bay folks are using models – but for some reason, they seem loathe to validate those models with real world data – and there is no short cut.

    the models are basically crap if they are not checked against real world data.

    you cannot impose billions of dollars of expenses on people based on little more than a scientific premise and be unwilling to provide the science to the people who will pay the costs.

    (and yes – this also has implications for global warming).

  4. DJRippert Avatar
    DJRippert

    There is a lot about the Civil War era that is poorly understood. Lincoln felt slavery was morally wrong but protected by the constitution. He was no great supporter of equal rights either. In one of his presidential cancicate debates, at Charleston, Illinois, on September 18, 1858, Lincoln made his position clear. “I will say then that I am not, nor ever have been, in favor of bringing about in any way the social and political equality of the white and black races,” he began, going on to say that he opposed blacks having the right to vote, to serve on juries, to hold office and to intermarry with whites. What he did believe was that, like all men, blacks had the right to improve their condition in society and to enjoy the fruits of their labor. In this way they were equal to white men, and for this reason slavery was inherently unjust.

    Source: http://www.history.com/news/5-things-you-may-not-know-about-lincoln-slavery-and-emancipation

  5. larryg Avatar
    larryg

    all true DJ. but also true – where the union lines advanced – throngs of black slaves rushed across them.

    Lincoln was a politician. He did what politicians do.

    but slaves – given the chance at freedom – jumped at it no matter what the narrative was about the slaves being ok with their slave-circumstances.

    When you go to our Battlefield Parks – my question is – what perspective do you get with respect to slaves in that war?

    1. DJRippert Avatar
      DJRippert

      “When you go to our Battlefield Parks – my question is – what perspective do you get with respect to slaves in that war?”.

      I don’t think you get any perspective because the topic isn’t discussed.

    2. TMT Avatar
      TMT

      I used to do Civil War reenacting and, as such, spent quite a bit of time at Battlefield Parks. I don’t recall any substantive discussion of slavery. Just as two of my 2nd great grandfathers, I wore Blue.

  6. larryg Avatar
    larryg

    It’s been a recent discussion up our way as of late.

    I know this sounds dumb but even then I consider myself racially-sensitive even sympathetic – I was ignorant about how black people feel about Civil War park and museum venues that seldom provide a black/slave perspective until it became a local discussion subject.

    I now see black people in the Battlefield Park I frequent but as walkers and joggers… not looking at the interpretive displays.

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