After our harbor tour several of us went to the nearby Fort Sumter Visitor Center. The flag flown during the first attack is on display, and exhibits describe the politics that led up to the start of the war.
People like Lincoln weren’t always as unambiguously anti-slavery as painted by history:
I will say then that I am not, nor ever have been, in favor of bringing about in any way the social and political equality of the white and black races - that I am not, nor ever have been, in favor of making voters or jurors of Negroes, nor of qualifying them to hold office, nor to intermarry with white people; and I will say in addition to this that there is a physical difference between the white and black races which I believe forever forbid the two races living together on terms of social and political equality. And in as much as they cannot so live, while they do remain together there must be the position of superior and inferior, and I as much as any other man am in favor of having the superior position assigned to the white race. [1858 Lincoln-Douglas debate]
As I read this statement I was distracted by a squeak to one side. I turned and locked eyes with a Windex-wielding black cleaning woman, looking like she thought I was annoyed with her. I nodded a kind of hello and turned away feeling very uncomfortable.
We returned to camp. This group loves sweets and nothing will warm you up faster than an ice cream social, rootbeer floats for all. There was also a 20-question trivia test based on our travels, and I’m sorry to say Marcia and I didn’t do well.
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