The Evolution of Post- World War II Civil War Commemoration: Intersections Between Race and Memory at Harpers Ferry

Abstract

The National Park Service administration of Harpers Ferry National Historical Park exemplifies the conflicts and concerns which characterized America's post- World War II commemorative landscape. Harpers Ferry's unique historical significance requires that racial issues be addressed, and even that race play a central role in its commemoration. It is thus a particularly illuminating location at which to observe confrontation over the racial meanings of the Civil War. The challenges encountered at Harpers Ferry, however, are in many ways representative; they were echoed throughout the South, and across the nation, as America sought to establish a new place for the Civil War within national memory. Through Harpers Ferry's unique story, reflections of a nationwide struggle can be seen.