Historians Discuss Life-Changing Shifts of Racial Beliefs
Dr. Charles Dew, Dr. Ty Seidule
In what promises to be a fascinating program on April 1, two historians who grew up in the South discuss how research led each to deeply personal revelations about their own beliefs.
“The embrace of Jim Crow as a way of life and a system of beliefs for white southerners was powerful and seductive,” wrote Dr. Charles Dew in “The Making of a Racist.”
“White supremacy is a noxious weed that plants deep roots. I know this firsthand. But I also know that racism can be overcome.”
Dr. Dew is joined in the program by Dr. Ty Seidule, author of “Robert E. Lee and Me.” In his book, Dr. Seidule wrote, “I grew up with a lie, a series of lies. Now, as a historian and a retired U.S. Army officer, I must do my best to tell the truth about the Civil War, and the best way to do that is to show my own dangerous history.”
The program starts at 7:30 pm on the 1st. Register here with the Mark Twain Library. The discussion is moderated by Dr. Daniel Barrett of Western Connecticut State University. (More participation information below.)
“Conversations About Truth, Myth & Democracy”
The program is the second of a series devoted to exploring how caring citizens from disparate groups can find common ground through informed dialogue and civil discourse. It is offered by Redding’s Mark Twain Library in collaboration with libraries in Weston, Newtown, and Ridgefield and the League of Women Voters in Weston, Ridgefield, and of Northern Fairfield County.
“Two historians, from two different generations, radically changed their world views once they saw that historical facts were at odds with the narratives that had been passed down to them,” said Redding League of Women Voters’ Mary Ann Carman.
“Each presents his own story with great candor and kindness, and we see this as a healthy way to model how we all can break through our own semantic habits no matter how uncomfortable that may be.”
About the speakers
Dr. Charles Dew is the Ephraim Williams Professor of American History at Williams College, which he attended before receiving his Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins University. Dr. Dew is the author of “Apostles of Disunion: Southern Secession Commissioners and the Causes of the Civil War.” He also authored “Bond of Iron: Master and Slave at Buffalo Forge,” which was selected as a New York Times Notable Book of the Year, and a 2016 memoir, “The Making of a Racist: A Southerner Reflects on Family, History, and the Slave Trade.”
Dr. Ty Seidule is the Chamberlain Fellow and visiting professor of history at Hamilton College and a professor emeritus at West Point. A recently retired Brigadier General who served more than three decades in the U.S. Army, he graduated from Washington and Lee and holds a Ph.D. from Ohio State University. Dr. Seidule co-edited the award-winning “West Point History of Warfare.” His most recent book, published this year, is “Robert E. Lee and Me: A Southerner’s Reckoning with the Myth of the Lost Cause.”
The program is moderated by Dr. Daniel Barrett, Professor and Chair in the Department of Psychology at Western Connecticut State University. Dr. Barrett is the author of the 2016 textbook, “Social Psychology: Core Concepts and Emerging Trends.” He lives in Redding.
Program participation
After registering for the program, you will receive a Zoom invitation on the day of the program. If you include your cell phone number on the registration form, you will receive one text reminder, with the Zoom link, 15 to 30 minutes before the program begins. The webinar waiting room opens at 7:00 pm. The program begins at 7:30.