Nathan Bedford Forrest was a lieutenant general in the Confederate Army during the civil war. He served as the first grand wizard of the Ku Klux Klan postwar. Many had different views and opinion about him later at the turn of the century. After Forrest died, he was remembered in different ways. In Court Carney’s article, “The Contested Image of Nathan Bedford Forrest”, the purpose of it was to show the many different perceptions of Forrest throughout the century, during the war and after his death. There were variations in the adaption of Forrest's image throughout time. For example, after the embarrassment of the Civil War, the South desperately needed a hero. They saw Forrest as a hero and honorable soldier. African Americans …show more content…
To the North, Forrest’s image after the war had been tarnished by massacre at Fort Pillow. He killed hundreds soldiers of black union army and white unionists. During the massacre at Fort Pillow, Forrest was apart of the Democratic Party; this contributed to the perception of Forrest as a ruthless Rebel soldier. Another main argument made by the author is that the “Lost cause” and reconciliation movement assisted in Forrest’s image in the nineteenth century as a southern heroic figure. The “Lost Cause” was a celebration by the Confederacy as a mythic representation of the past. After the war, the reconciliation movement in Memphis was when Forrest was made their hero after embarrassment from the war by creating a distorted depiction of Forrest’s role in the war. This is a myth of Forrest’s heroic role after the war because even though he surrendered in a battle, they thought he would still be able to defend the city. Also, white Memphians saw Forrest as a hero even though he committed war crimes at Fort Pillow and a part of the Ku Klux Klan. Later on, this wasn’t mentioned at in the South; they took pride in his military and civic service because he was unschooled, untrained, and learned on his own to be a great soldier. When the yellow epidemic fever hits Memphis, it made their economy worse than it already was. White elites moved out and many died from the fever. All that were left were African Americans and the population increased with the addition African Americans. This contributed to racism. Decades later, a statue of Forrest, funded by the white elites, was unveiled in Memphis, the African Americans thought this as racist because of Forrest involvement in the Ku Klux Klan and in a city with a high population of African Americans. But the white Memphians still saw him as the
In James McPherson’s novel, What They Fought For, a variety of Civil War soldier documents are examined to show the diverse personal beliefs and motives for being involved in the war. McPherson’s sample, “is biased toward genuine fighting soldiers” (McPherson, 17) meaning he discusses what the ordinary soldier fought for. The Confederacy was often viewed as the favorable side because their life style relied on the war; Confederates surrounded their lives with practices like slavery and agriculture, and these practices were at stake during the war. On the other hand, Northerners fought to keep the country together. Although the Civil War was brutal, McPherson presents his research to show the dedication and patriotism of the soldiers that fought and died for a cause.
Many themes are demonstrated in To Kill A Mockingbird and Mississippi Trial, 1955. Three of the most predominant themes were courage, integrity, and truth. The author developed these themes gradually throughout both books by illustrating the actions and thoughts of the main characters. Because of these characteristics, Hiram Hilburn and Atticus Finch emerge as the heroes of the stories. The way in which heroes become inspirational to others is by learning from their mistakes. Atticus and Hiram both struggle with the pressure to follow the crowd, but the critical question is will they be able to do what’s best for the town?
People attending schools before 1960’s were learning about certain “unscrupulous carpetbaggers”, “traitorous scalawags”, and the “Radical Republicans”(223). According to the historians before the event of 1960’s revision, these people are the reason that the “white community of South banded together to overthrow these “black” governments and restore home rule”(223). While this might have been true if it was not for the fact that the “carpetbaggers were former Union soldiers”, “Scalawags… emerged as “Old Line” Whig Unionists”(227). Eric Foner wrote the lines in his thesis “The New View of Reconstruction” to show us how completely of target the historians before the 1960’s revision were in their beliefs.
To begin, parallel and conflicting characteristics can be realized by exploring the judges of the two cases. Judge Horton and Judge Taylor both presided over the cases. Judge Horton was the second of three judges in the Scottsboro cases, and Judge Taylor was the fictional judge in To Kill a Mockingbird. The two both exhibited undeniable sympathy to the defendants in the cases. Judge Horton sympathizes with the nine Scottsboro boys by declaring, “You are not trying whether or not the defendant is white or black … you are trying whether or not this defendant forcibly ravished a woman” (People and Events). It is obvious that Judge Horton was unprejudiced and believed the boys should be treated with equality. This attitude is akin to the one of Judge Taylor; Taylor assigned Atticus Finch, a notable lawyer, to the case of the fictional black character Tom Robinson. Maxwell Green, an inexperience rookie, should have been assigned the case; however due to Taylor’s empathy, Tom obtained a decent lawyer who would do h...
The document “Dred Scott in History” by Walter Ehrlich remained an interest to the reader through several important details. The document of the Dred Scott case was interesting due to the effectively structured information on delays, controversial issues, and the idea of the case being the initial spark of the Civil War.
Nothing translates the modern depiction of southern literature quite like the novel, Forrest Gump. Set in the deep south of the fictional town of Greenbow, Alabama, Winston Groom’s Forrest Gump gives the audience an adequate insight into how the southern way of life was in the late fifties through the seventies. The majority of the movie shows important events during American history at the time. Although this is an essential part of the storyline, the novel itself gives readers a much more in-depth look into southern life. Forrest Gump notes the racial references related to that time period, the portrayal of classic southern culture, and allows southern stereotypes to be apparent throughout.
In To Kill A Mockingbird Lee tells the story of a Mr. Tom Robinson who is an African American who is being charged with rape against a white women. Atticus is the lawyer who must defend Robinson in court. In the Scottsboro case a central figure was a heroic judge who overturned a guilty verdict against the young men. The judge went against the public in trying to protect the rights of the African American men. In reading the novel you learn that Atticus arouses anger in the small community when he tries to defend Robinson.
Many students believe that Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird displays social issues in early America. In this time standing against common customs was unacceptable, a violation of society. People believe that today courage has overcome adversity that was displayed in early America. Courage is the common subject of To Kill a Mockingbird, which allows Lee’s novel to defy the changing times of humanity. These morals are bound to the “impartiality” and “fairness” taught to people as children, but become unavoidably invisible though selfish actions. The characters in To Kill a Mockingbird express audacity along with resilience in the face of cowardice.
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee seems like a complete replica of the lives of people living in a small Southern U.S. town. The themes expressed in this novel are as relevant today as when this novel was written, and also the most significant literary devices used by Lee. The novel brings forward many important themes, such as the importance of education, recognition of inner courage, and the misfortunes of prejudice. This novel was written in the 1930s. This was the period of the “Great Depression” when it was very common to see people without jobs, homes and food. In those days, the rivalry between the whites and the blacks deepened even more due to the competition for the few available jobs. A very famous court case at that time was the Scottsboro trials. These trials were based on the accusation against nine black men for raping two white women. These trials began on March 25, 1931. The Scottsboro trials were very similar to Tom Robinson’s trial. The similarities include the time factor and also the fact that in both cases, white women accused black men.
Stephen W. Sears’ Landscape Turned Red is an account of political and military plans. Especially General Robert E. Lee’s Maryland Campaign as well as the Battle of Antietam. Sears frames his work around the pending support of Great Britain and France to the Confederate cause due to cotton. Landscape Turned Red covers the battle of Antietam. It offers a vivid account of both armies, the soldiers and officers, and the bloody campaign. It analyzes the impact of Antietam on the Civil War as a whole. Sears' use of diaries, dispatches, and letters recreate the Battle of Antietam. You experience the battle not only from its leaders but also by its soldiers, both Union and Confederate. Sears attempts to examine the tactical moves of both Lee and General George McClellan. He also talks about the foolish decisions that troubled both the Federal and Confederate forces. Sears' use of traits, political pursuits, and tactical preferences, explain the thoughts of many. Some of these include President Lincoln, General Halleck and General McClellan, and their subordinates. Stephen Ward Sears is an American historian specializing in the American Civil War. He is a graduate of Oberlin College and an attendant to a journalism seminar at Radcliffe-Harvard. As an author he has concentrated on the military history of the American Civil War. Such as the battles and leaders of the Army of the Potomac. He was an editor for the Educational Department at American Heritage Publishing Company. American Heritage Publishing two of his ten books.
The critical time periods in the Ku Klux Klan’s history can be simply broken down into separate “Klans.” Former Confederate soldiers in Pulaski, Tennessee formed the first Klan around a year after the end of the Civil War. Soon after, Nathan Forrest, a former Confederate lieutenant general, was named the “Grand Wizard” of the organization. The “main objective of white supremacy organizations such as the Ku Klux Klan, the White Brotherhood, the Men of Justice, the Constitutional Union Guards and the Knights of the White Camelia was to stop black people from voting” and restore the white supremacy the South saw prior to the Civil War ("Effects of the Klu Klux Klan"). At this point, Klansmen would ride at night through towns brutally intimidating, blacks and radical Republicans. These tactics got so bad that in 1870, Congress began passing the first of three...
In the movie Forrest Gump, Gump had been in several historical events. One event Gump was in was the event when they were letting colored people into the school. Gump didn’t know what was going on. This event was the segregation of blacks and whites. With Gump not knowing what was going on, he was able to help a lady. She dropped her book and Gump ran in and picked it up. Gump handed the book to the lady. This is an event that most people back in that time didn’t want to happen, but Gump didn’t mind it.
The Ku Klux Klan started in Pulaski, Tennessee in 1866 was founded by multiple Confederate veterans. The first official leader of the KKK was Nathan Bedford Forrest. Forrest was a lieutenant general in the Confederate Army during the American Civil War. He was a self taught leader that gained respect from many during his honored time in the Confederate Army. In
On December 24, 1866, the Ku Klux Klan was founded by General Nathan Bedford Forrest in Pulaski Tennessee. Many people, especially in the South, did not like the outcome of the civil war. They decided to take matters into their own hands. Group members would
To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee highlights the concept of victors and victims within a prejudiced community, displayed by the author through various aspects. These include characterization, setting, and literary devices. They aid in presenting the prejudice that takes place within the fictional town of Maycomb, revealing it to be based on social status. These elements assist the reader to construct a detailed picture of the town of Maycomb, and the atrocious deeds committed within.