Feldman analysts is artistic portrayals of the American Revolution and civil war. She talks about the influence of paintings, sculptures, in memorials on how history is remembered. The Smithsonian Associates host to this event. Today we are going to look at the American Revolution and civil war, in particular, but a little beyond that. Controversies about the stories we tell. I am going to focus, because it is impossible to cover such an amount of material in one top. Im going to focus in particular on the nations capital, and the public buildings on the mall, which is after all, the centerpiece of american political culture, and our public culture, where people come from all around the world, and the country to participate in government, to learn about government, to understand our heritage. So i thought what is it we say to those people when they come to washington . What have been some of the controversies . What are some of the issues we should be aware of . And what is missing . S
Where he also had figures such as this but in his case, its peace rielding in ayuchlful chariot. You can see the peace in the center. The partially nude female figure crowned riding the four horses and golden victory figures off to each side. Well, this is what mills had in mind for George Washington. They were thinking of it for George Washington that transposed him from the human, from the everyday, from a general to now a super human almost godlike figure. And so when construction, which had been halted on the Washington Monument for about 20 years in the 1860s and 70s, when construction was started up again, the engineer, thomas casey, who really loved modern inventions, elevators, electric lights, decided no were not going to put that temple at the bottom. He wanted the Washington Monument to stay that would represent america. Moving forward into the 20th century. And so he now saw it as a sleek monument of american ingenuity. So it was his decision, essentially, not to create the
Project. Busy people get things done, and we knew we were in for it when dr. Whittenberg talked about that. Jonathan white has to be the busiest young scholar in the field today. Hes not only a prolific historian, with more projects on the back burners than ive ever seen on the stove before. He won the outstanding faculty award for academic education. Hes a parent of young children, i dont know where john finds the time. Hes been very generous with what remaining time he has from all of that for this museum and our Education Programs for which were all very grateful. As you can see from your printed programs, the topics of johns work are his published work are many and varied with something of a focus Abraham Lincoln with the legal and constitution, as well and hes coauthor of a book entitled Civic Education and the work of citizenship and because he has news they wrote our little monitor, the greatest invention of this civil war. I asked him to put it on a topic, and it draws from oth
To learn about government, understand our heritage, so i thought, what is it we say to those people when they come to washington . What have been some of the controversies . What are some of the issues we should be aware of and what is missing . That is going to be my focus with the Capital Building here, rotunda, and of course the mall which stretches all the way back , down to the Lincoln Memorial. Building Capitol Building with its great paintings by John Trumbull of the American Revolution and at the opposite end of the mall, the Lincoln Memorial commemorating the civil war and Abraham Lincolns role. Also up at the capital and is another littleknown memorial. There was an oped in the Washington Post a couple days ago about this memorial, the ulysses s. Grant memorial, which is there at the foot of the Capitol Building. It and the Lincoln Memorial were dedicated in 1922, the same year, yet they represent two different approaches to telling the story of america and the civil war. Of
Imi think of what talking about jen wittenberg. He would find someone to volunteer for a project. Busy people get things done and it. New we were in forc mostwhite has to be the prolific young professor. Won the outstanding faculty award for virginia. He is an active public speaker and a parent of young children. I dont know where john finds the time. Generousn very with our Education Programs to which we are grateful. As you can see from your printed programs, the topics of his varied with a and focus on Abraham Lincoln and legal and constitutional history. He is the coauthor of a book thetled civil education in future of american citizenship. Because he had a few extra minutes, he and ann holloway wrote our monitor. I asked him to speak on a topic i did not put on the printer program. A topic that draws from two other book manuscripts he is currently finishing about Abraham Lincoln and africanamericans. Ladies and gentlemen, jonathan white. [applause] jonathan thank you, john, the in