At the risk of reopening another round of heated discussion, I would call list members' attention to an essay about Mildred and Richard Loving by Brent Staples that appears in today's NY Times: http://tinyurl.com/6zy4rg. There may--and probably will--be differences of opinion regarding his references to TJ, and to other aspects of the Lovings' case. But I found his "story behind the story" very interesting and a reminder to all of us who work in history, whether as amateurs (which, after all, means those who love something for its own sake) or as professionals (those who earn their living at it) that the past is as complex a place as today is, and it is our obligation to make that understood to our wider audiences, whoever and wherever they are. Martha Katz-Hyman ______________________________________ To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe please see the instructions at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html