As many of you know, state and local governments in North Carolina are working together on creating a new museum in Fayetteville focused on the Civil War, Emancipation, and Reconstruction. The center, which is already under construction, received a major boost last week with the allocation of funding by the City of Fayetteville. This is in addition to funding from the state and the county. In all, over fifty million dollars has been allocated by governments for the center, and millions more in donations have been received. Now that the center’s construction is now definitely going forward Fayetteville Observer columnist Myron B. Pitts wrote a column on the importance of the new institution for the city. Here are some excerpts from his article:
Some members of the Council, which is majority Black — had expressed skepticism concerning a center that would be dedicated to the study of the Civil War. But the unanimous vote suggests those concerns have been largely answered.
The city money comes with conditions, most of which History Center officials believe they have met or will easily meet.
At the meeting, Councilwoman Shakeyla Ingram said she had had an in-depth conversation with Mac Healy, the chair of the History Center Board.
“I left with a very different perspective,” she said. “But this is me as a person that appreciates history.”
She asked Healy what feedback History Center officials had received from the community. He asked Cheri Todd Molter and Leisa Greathouse to approach, saying they had talked to many people.
Molter said she had been with the center foundation since 2016, and her research included gathering information on the descendants of the 135th U.S. Colored Troops, of the U.S. Army (the Union) and later, helping collect 100 stories from 100 counties.
“So far we’ve gathered close to a thousand of them,” she said.
Ingram said she had read some of the submitted stories.
“I will support this because I’ve recognized that you do have people who want their story to be shared,” she said.
She added that she also supported the Black Voices Museum and people who want to share their stories with it.
She said to Molter and Greathouse: “Because we have a community that is just sending their stories to be shared and trusting you, I just would ask that you be accountable to these stories.”
I applaud the council on its decision. I have made no secret I believe the History Center will be a great addition to our city, state and country.
I think the content will tell multiple stories from multiple perspectives about a challenging and often miscast period of time.
Follow Reconstruction Blog on Social Media:
I was happy to hear of the City of Fayetteville’s decision to move forward with a center on black Civil War history. This is an important step in reconciliation of the war itself, and information and instruction to those who did not understand the reasons for the war, the war itself, the outcome of the war, and it’s consequences into the 21st century.
I am, however, disappointed that they did not reach out to Tryon Palace, and in particular the Civil War descendants and reenactors of the 35th, 36th, and 37th regiments and the Outreach Director Sharon Sharon C. Holloway Bryant , as well as descendants of Battery B Light Artillery in Wilmington and their Coordinator Rowena Reid who currently lives in Fayetteville, and the 14th US Colored Heavy Artillery, of which I am a descendant.
Perhaps this article will bring more enlightenment to those responsible for the design, construction, and information going into the museum, as well as serve as notice to the above mentioned descendants and regiments.