Smith travels to monuments across the southern United States commemorating the Civil War. He attends a demonstration of the Sons of Confederate Veterans and contemplates the relationship of nostalgia and historical truth in the "myth of the Lost Cause." He writes that "it is not a public story we all share, but an intimate one, passed down like an heirloom, that shapes [White Southerners'] sense of who they are."

The War on Nostalgia

Following the abolition of slavery, the Federal Writers' Project sent people across the country to interview former slaves. It was an ambitious project, meant to build the historical record and understand what life was like under slavery. But it also had its downfalls; family members of former slave masters were sometimes sent to do the interviews. Smith argues that no matter its pitfalls, it was ultimately a virtuous effort, and we should replicate it today to make sure we document the generations that lived through the Civil Rights movement.

The Commons

Clint Smith

Reviewed work