The Danger of Romanticizing the Confederacy: Challenging the Lost Cause Narrative
"The Danger of Romanticizing the Confederacy: Challenging the Lost Cause Narrative; From Edward Pollard to Ta-Nehisi Coates: Debunking the Myths of the Lost Cause"
The Lost Cause, a pro-Confederate history of the Civil War written by Edward Pollard in 1866, has been widely discredited by historians due to its revisionist and inaccurate depiction of the war and the Confederacy. However, the ideas put forth in the book still persist in some corners of American society, and it is important to counter these dangerous ideas with contemporary authors and facts.
One of the most pernicious ideas put forth in The Lost Cause is that the Civil War was not fought over slavery, but rather over states' rights and the ability of individual states to govern themselves. This argument has been used to justify the Confederacy's secession and to downplay the role of slavery in the war. However, this argument is not supported by the facts. In his book "The Fiery Trial: Abraham Lincoln and American Slavery," historian Eric Foner writes that "there can be no doubt that slavery was the cause of the Civil War." Foner cites the secession declarations of Southern states, which explicitly stated that the preservation of slavery was their primary goal. Additionally, Foner argues that the idea of states' rights was used as a rhetorical cover for the defense of slavery.
Another dangerous idea put forth in The Lost Cause is that the Confederacy was fighting for a noble cause. In reality, the Confederacy was fighting to preserve an institution that was inherently cruel and unjust. As author Ta-Nehisi Coates writes in his book "Between the World and Me," "slavery is not an indefinable mass of flesh. It is a particular, specific enslaved woman, whose mind is as active as your own." Coates argues that the idea of the "Lost Cause" is dangerous because it "erases the actual experiences of enslaved people and the long legacy of racial discrimination that continues to this day."
The Lost Cause also perpetuated the myth of the "happy slave" and the idea that slavery was a benign and mutually beneficial institution. This myth has been thoroughly debunked by historians and contemporary authors alike. In her book "The Hemingses of Monticello," historian Annette Gordon-Reed writes that "the idea that slaves were happy with their lot was...an invention of people who wanted to justify slavery and racism." Similarly, author Jesmyn Ward writes in her book "Sing, Unburied, Sing" that "slavery, and the legacy of slavery, continues to poison us." Ward's novel explores the ongoing trauma of slavery and the ways in which it still impacts the lives of black Americans today.
Finally, The Lost Cause perpetuated the idea that the South was a unique and noble culture that needed to be preserved. However, this idea is based on a romanticized and inaccurate vision of the South. As author William Faulkner once said, "the past is never dead. It's not even past." The legacy of slavery and racism continues to shape the South and American society as a whole. It is important to acknowledge and confront this legacy, rather than mythologizing the past and perpetuating dangerous ideas.
While The Lost Cause may be a relic of the past, its ideas continue to have a dangerous influence on American society today. It is important to counter these ideas with contemporary authors and facts and to acknowledge the ongoing legacy of slavery and racism. By doing so, we can work towards a more just and equitable society for all.
Article References:
Edward Pollard, The Lost Cause: A New Southern History of the War of the Confederates (New York: E. B. Treat, 1866).
Eric Foner, The Fiery Trial: Abraham Lincoln and American Slavery (New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2010).
Ta-Nehisi Coates, Between the World and Me (New York: Spiegel & Grau, 2015).
Annette Gordon-Reed, The Hemingses of Monticello: An American Family (New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2008).
Jesmyn Ward, Sing, Unburied, Sing (New York: Scribner, 2017).
Note: The references are listed in the order they appear in the article, with the exception of Pollard's book, which is listed first as the subject of the article.
The Lost Cause, Edward Pollard, Marbles and Bullets, Civil War, slavery, states' rights, Confederacy, revisionism, dangerous ideas, contemporary authors, facts, Eric Foner, Ta-Nehisi Coates, Annette Gordon-Reed, Jesmyn Ward, Richard De Witt, New Film Group, happy slave myth, Southern culture, legacy of slavery, racism.