The United States of America originated as a slave society; holding millions of Africans and their descendants in bondage; and remained so until a civil war took the lives of a half million soldiers; some once slaves themselves. Standing Soldiers; Kneeling Slaves explores how that history of slavery and its violent end was told in public space--specifically in the sculptural monuments that increasingly came to dominate streets; parks; and town squares in nineteenth-century America. Here Kirk Savage shows how the greatest era of monument building in American history arose amidst struggles over race; gender; and collective memory. As men and women North and South fought to define the war's legacy in monumental art; they reshaped the cultural landscape of American nationalism. At the same time that the Civil War challenged the nation to reexamine the meaning of freedom; Americans began to erect public monuments as never before. Savage studies this extraordinary moment in American history when a new interracial order seemed to be on the horizon; and when public sculptors tried to bring that new order into concrete form. Looking at monuments built and unbuilt; Savage shows how an old image of black slavery was perpetuated while a new image of the common white soldier was launched in public space. Faced with the challenge of Reconstruction; the nation ultimately recast itself in the mold of the ordinary white man. Standing Soldiers; Kneeling Slaves; the first sustained investigation of monument building as a process of national and racial definition; probes a host of fascinating questions: How was slavery to be explained without exploding the myth of a "united" people? How did notions of heroism become racialized? And more generally; who is represented in and by monumental space? How are particular visions of history constructed by public monuments? Written in an engaging fashion; this book will appeal to a wide range of readers interested in American culture; race relations; and public art.
#1592268 in Books 1991-10Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 1.80 x 6.50 x 9.40l; #File Name: 0688100791624 pages
Review
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. The Forgotten war is not forgotten!By Neil SlocumToland is a fine writer. This book is a wonderful description of what is now known as "the forgotten" war." It is not forgotten. I knew many officers and men who fought in Korea as I entered into an Army career. They personified the best in America and who did an outstanding job in Korea. I was a bit to young to serve (I had to wait until Vietnam) but I learned a great deal from the Korean vets. Toland definitely told the story as it really was. This book should be read by anyone with a yen for history but also by young people who have no idea what citizenship means to those who lay down their lives for our Country. This war should never be forgotten.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Excellent and essentialBy M. KnightVery well written and informative with stories from all sides of the conflict. It gave me a much better understanding of the politics; fundamental mistake of dividing Korea at the end of WWII; missed opportunities by the USA to end the conflict early; the dangers of superstar military commanders; and the ineffectiveness of nuclear deterrence against China or NK. The suffering of our troops; the unheralded heroism of French; AUS; ROK and UK units is well portrayed as is the experiences of POW's and Chinese "Volunteer" troops. This war seems to be a forgotten chapter of our history by most Americans but is worth reviewing; if only to provide insight to Cold War era events and how they have shaped current events.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Don't forget this warBy Richard CarlsonA forgotten but brutal conflict. Brave soldiers led by often inept generals somehow forced a stalemate against overwhelming odds. Good combination of individual stories and strategic review.
