I have an eight-page letter from a family member setting forth the family
history. The letter is a clear demonstration of racism and elitism. But it
is a true picture of the time when it was written and it shows history just
in its attitudes. In addition, the personality of the author comes through
in these asides. It would ruin the letter to edit it to make it politically
correct. I am using it unedited, in order to show future generations what
the times were like. That is the whole point. --Sally Phillips
----- Original Message -----
From: "Melinda Skinner" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tuesday, October 24, 2006 5:57 PM
Subject: Re: [VA-HIST] Transcribing Civil War Diaries
>I certainly agree with Mr. Omohundro. I am not a historian but a writer
>who has been dismayed to be saddled with the desire to clean up primary
>source material for some kind of political correctness. What ever happened
>to truthful reporting? We need to view history with all its warts and
>problems. Just my very unofficial 2 cents.
> -Melinda Skinner
>
>
> -------------- Original message ----------------------
> From: [log in to unmask]
>> When co-editing recently a Civil War diary my collaborator and I
>> encountered
>> various critical references to slaves and free blacks, Jews, women,
>> Yankeees,
>> Abraham Lincoln, etc.
>>
>> We could have left all such items out, thereby gutting this primary
>> source.
>>
>> There was some pressure about or resistance to including the most
>> derogatory
>> references, but we held fast, and were able to get the entire
>> text--everything--published.
>>
>> To do otherwise would have been a disservice to history, and to
>> scholarship.
>>
>> Michael Chesson
>> U/Mass-Boston
>>
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