Confederate Flag, Confederate Monuments & Free Speech

Description

This presentation is offered as part of the Benzie Area Historical Society's Benzonia Academy Lecture Series. Recent events, like the conflict in Charlottesville, Virginia, have re-ignited debate concerning the role of Confederate monuments in public places as well as free speech. Removal of historical monuments can lead down a “slippery slope” involving the rewriting of history. However, the context of when and how statues or tributes were erected also reflect the motivations and interpretations of those who created such monuments. Mike Nagle, West Shore Community College Professor of History and Political Science, will discuss these, and other related issues, as well as the importance of historical memory and free speech.