“The capture of the Alamo, in spite of its attendant disasters…gave us a prodigious moral prestige.”
-Mexican General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna
Addressing his fellow citizens about
His battles, including the Alamo,
And his capture at San Jacinto
Less than two months later.
May 10, 1837
Sam Houston Monument, Houston, Texas. R.Baker 2017
A Feather In His Cap
Once again, the Confederate statue confabulation has presented itself after a confluence of recent racial social events and issues. It is the result, as it usually is, of particular groups emoting rather than cerebrating over a cause that certainly deserves serious consideration.
Clearly there are many Confederate statues that should not have a platform of presenting the subjects as heroes, and should be removed and placed in an educational setting. Others, such as the Sam Houston statue in Houston’s Hermann Park represent mixed messages about legacy, and should possibly be preserved. Protestors-turned-rioters in Philadelphia even attacked the statue of abolitionist Matthias Baldwin, who fought for black voting rights and helped establish a school for African-American Children in Philadelphia in the 1830’s. He paid the teachers’ salaries out of his own pocket for many years after, during the horrors of slavery years. Presumably, that statue was attacked because Baldwin was white.
What is lacking in all this hoo-haw of muddled anger is actual dialogue, debate, and critical thinking.
As stated by former American Civil War Museum CEO Christy Coleman in a 2017 USA Today interview, “It’s a sticky wicket. I’m a public educator, and, like ’em or not, these things have a story to tell.″
Let’s briefly consider just a few of these events.
The statue of John C. Calhoun, Vice President of the US 1825 - 1832, was removed this week in Charleston, South Carolina after the unanimous vote by city officials.
Before you Confederate flag wavers blow your “can’t erase history” gaskets, let me presume this: NONE of you know diddly-squat about John C. Calhoun. He was a staunch slavery promoter his entire life and insisted that one of his escaped slaves who was captured be imprisoned and tortured with 30 lashes.
Calhoun’s philosophy was summed-up in his Senate floor speech of Feb.6,1837:
“I hold that in the present state of civilization, where two races of different origin, and distinguished by color, and other physical differences, as well as intellectual, are brought together, the relation now existing in the slaveholding States between the two, is, instead of an evil, a good—a positive good…”
Calhoun’s philosophy holds undertones of Hitler’s “master race” thinking, that we heard during the 20th Century.
John C. Calhoun was not a decent man. He was no hero. He did not deserve a statue. His racist, hateful legacy should be taught in all history courses in all schools. That should satisfy all those who are clamoring to save our history.
Anyone who disagrees with the notion that the Calhoun statue should have been preserved to “teach” history is just plain wrong. Period. May you all be reminded that the entire world - THE ENTIRE WORLD - knows all about the history of Adolf Hitler, yet there isn’t even one statue of him in Germany.
Then, there’s good ‘ol Sam Houston.
Sam Houston Statue, R. Baker 2017
The history of the namesake of our country’s 4th largest city is interesting as it is confusing. The day before I shot the photos of the Sam Houston statue in Houston’s Hermann park in 2017, protestors were demanding that the monument be torn down.
I dare say that would spark a second civil war, or at least another Texas revolution, should it ever come to pass. Texans are a funny breed. They’ve been up in arms over the expansion and renovations proposed for the Alamo for several years, changes that I personally think would greatly enhance the Alamo experience. But that’s another discussion. As for tearing down the statue of the 1st President of the Texas Republic _ just wipe that notion out of your cerebrum post haste!
Sam Houston was an enigma of sorts. He championed Native American rights, was made an honorary Cherokee, fought and ultimately set free Mexican General Santa Anna after the Battle of San Jacinto at the close of theTexas Revolution, became the first president of the new country, and voted against the expansion of slavery into new territories while serving in the US senate. He was also an alcoholic and slave owner.
Houston did not shrink from his nasty drinking habit and considered it his own misfortune. In James L. Haley’s book, “Sam Houston”, Sam was described as a “…man of action, one who would ride to battle with a feather in his cap,” alluding to the idea of a warrior adding a new feather to his headwear after a successful battle or achievement. Houston did not make excuses for his flaws.
I’ll admit to more than a bit of bias here about Sam: I’m a Texan, born and raised. My opinion is that his legacy isn’t equivalent to that of men such as John C. Calhoun. This is where those notions of dialogue, debate, discussion, and critical thinking should come together in our body politic.
One last point for discussion is that of Stone Mountain in Georgia. This massive bas-relief of Confederate soldiers Jeff Davis, Robert E. Lee, and Stonewall Jackson has been a source of controversy for many years.
Stone Mountain, Georgia. R. Baker, 2017
Prepping for my 2017 exhibit, “The Architecture of Grief & Redemption”, I visited Stone Mountain in April of that year. It was interesting and perplexing to witness hundreds of visitors gathering in the open space facing the carvings, while they waited for the nightly laser show. It was a quintessential American scene of a community gathering for a festive event.
The compelling and striking aspect of this scene was the racial/ethnic/religious composition of the hundreds of people gathered: Caucasian, African-American, Naive American, Indian, Asian, European, Christian, Buddhist, Hindu, and I assume atheists.
There were mixed-race couples with their children walking the grounds, throwing frisbees, eating vendor candy, ice cream and popcorn before the event. No one was arguing, protesting or complaining - just people living and enjoying life on a calm, warm evening together.
What are we to make of that?
That dialogue and discussion is far more complex than the discussion about Sam Houston. After all, Stone Mountain was commissioned to be carved by a sculptor who was associated with the KKK.
The questions surrounding the blasting away of this massive Stone Mountain carving isn’t as obvious as it might seem to those who emote rather than cerebrate.
What leaves this discussion open to interpretation and debate, then, is exactly the way Ms Colman described it in the quote above: “…Like ‘em or not, these things have a story to tell.”
How we choose to tell those stories should preclude the wholesale toppling of every monument, Confederate or otherwise.
Another perspective was posited in 2015 by the Atlanta chapter of the NAACP president, Richard Rose: “It is time for Georgia and other Southern states to end the glorification of slavery and white supremacy paid for and maintained with the taxes of all its citizens…The heritage we should be celebrating is the US heritage. We’re not a separate nation.”
On might argue that the obvious flaw in Mr. Rose’s statement is that the commission of , displaying of, and meanings behind these monuments are also part of all citizens in the US. Whether we like it or not.
The larger question going forward, if we are to move forward, is perhaps found in the words of General Santa Anna. What, indeed, will offer all of us a sense of prodigious moral prestige? That, is truly the “sticky wicket.”
The challenge for all of us going forward is to approach these national issues as a nation, collectively, with feather’s in ALL our hats.
Rick Burnett Baker
June 26, 2020
Rochester, NY
©Rick Burnett Baker
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