First Posted: 1/27/2015
BLUFFTON — What started the Civil War?
James Loewen, author of “Lies My Teacher Told Me,” wanted to know many students in Bluffton University’s Founders Hall would have the answer.
Well, it depends on the time period and point of view, he said.
In a survey, most labeled states’ rights as the cause. However, Loewen said the correct answer was slavery, the second most popular answer.
The confusion, he said, is a result of today’s history books and the Nadir era, otherwise known as “the low point.” Years after the Civil War, people began to rationalize and defend the South, pinpointing states’ rights as the spark inspiring conflict.
“The U.S. was more racist than any other time in history,” Loewen said.
From 1890 to 1940, the “they” mentality started, white supremacy was justified, and Confederate monuments were created. The KKK gained momentum again and lynching was at an all-time high.
The trend caused a distortion of U.S history and enabled Sundown Towns, which are purposely all white, informally shunning black people from the area.
“It blew my mind,” Loewen said. “I had no idea. I thought most towns were all white by coincidence, that black people were just showing good judgment. But that’s not true.”
He said unawareness not only makes Americans looks stupid, but it minimizes African-Americans’ roles in U.S. history, glorifies the Confederate cause and white supremacy, and alienates minorities in school.
“It’s part of the reason there’s this big gap,” he said. “But no one says anything.”
Bluffton University freshmen, Taylor Lewis and Zoe Tracy, found the presentation enlightening.
“He made a lot of good points,” Lewis said.
To get all the facts, Loewen told audiences to read his book “Sundown Towns,” then share it with their old high school teachers.
“It’s patriotic to teach all of American history and what we did wrong, not just what we did right,” he said. “Don’t ever let someone tell you otherwise.”
