Bravely Bohemian

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Why President Trump’s Juneteenth (June 19th) Rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma Was a Bad Choice

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So President Trump decided it would be a good idea to hold a rally on Juneteenth in Tulsa, Oklahoma, home of the Tulsa Race Riots of 1921.

The United States is in a tough place right now. The Covid-19 epidemic is still rearing its ugly head in many places. George Floyd was killed unnecessarily by overly aggressive police officers in Minneapolis, and it was caught on film by many witnesses. As a result, there are major demonstrations in most cities across the country. In such uncertain times, people are angry, and rightfully so.

The U.S. has a tradition of pulling together in times of difficulty. It helps Americans feel that we are unified and bigger when we work together. It also gives us a place to grieve and heal our losses. However, President Trump has done nothing to bring the country together, and in many ways has purposely used his seat of power to divide us.

I try really hard to stay out of publicly voicing my opinion on political issues, especially in this blog, but after seeing Trump’s actions over the last few weeks, it’s hard not to say something publicly. I was horrified when he used the military to clear out Lafayette Park so that he could cross the street and stand in front of the historic St. John’s Church. He then called in military forces to quell demonstrations in Washington, D.C. that night.

And if that wasn’t enough, I was even more horrified when I heard he purposely planned a rally for June 19th in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the site of the most outrageous act of hatred and violence towards African Americans in our country’s history. Supposedly, Trump’s visit to Tulsa was changed to June 20, which is still insulting to many people, but this does give us the opportunity to understand why visiting Tulsa on June 19th is such a slap in the face (or gut punch?) to so many of our own citizens.

What is Juneteenth?

Juneteenth is a holiday celebrated by African Americans in many cities across the U.S. Juneteenth stands for June 19th, 1865, the date that General Order #3 was read in Galveston, TX announcing the freedom of all slaves in Texas. While the Emancipation Proclamation freeing all slaves in Confederate states and territories went into effect on January 1, 1863, it took the rest of the Civil War to free a lot of people. Trying to escape fighting, many Southerners moved west and brought their slaves with them, so by the war’s end, it is estimated there were around 250,000 enslaved people living in Texas. Because the news was slow to travel and the population was so spread out, it took that long for slaves in outlying areas to find out they were freed.

Juneteenth_Origin_General Order no 3
General Order #3 was read to citizens of Galveston, Texas on June 19, 1865, notifying all slaves that they were freed. This date became the basis of Juneteenth celebrations.

A little known fact of interest- the Emancipation Proclamation did not apply to slaves located in Union-held territories including Delaware, Maryland, West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Missouri. It only applied to those states that left the Union. The 13th Amendment later freed all remaining slaves on December 18, 1865.

Celebrating Juneteenth

As a result of the June 19, 1865, General Order #3, African Americans in Texas began celebrating the date of their freedom each year. Juneteenth was originally known as Jubilee Day. As celebrations spread to other areas, various names came about- Emancipation Day, Freedom Day, Cel-Liberation Day, and finally Juneteenth. Juneteenth was originally commemorated mostly in Southern states and went in and out of fashion based on political and cultural pressures.

The History of Juneteenth

Today Juneteenth is celebrated by African Americans in many cities throughout the U.S. as a festival of heritage, food, and culture. I attended the Juneteenth Festival here in Syracuse, NY for the first time last year. I found it to be a fun day of community pride and celebration. Our festival includes a parade, great music and food, plus many vendors and educational booths.

What were the Tulsa Race Riots?

The History of Greenwood and the Tulsa Race Riots of 1921

Just over 99 years ago this month, the most violent race massacre and incident of domestic terrorism happened in Tulsa, Oklahoma. At the time, the Greenwood District of Tulsa was the most prosperous African American community in the U.S. and known as “Black Wall Street.” Once oil was discovered in Oklahoma, Tulsa became a boomtown, and many African Americans moved there to seek their piece of the American dream. The Greenwood community became self-supporting in many ways, and as a result, very successful.

Since the days of Reconstruction and Jim Crow laws, resentment of African American success ran high in many cities. Riots between whites and African Americans happened fairly regularly as a way to keep black Americans repressed. Check out this extensive list to learn more. 

Tulsa Race Riots_June 1_1921_morning_newspaper_account
Tulsa World newspaper issued the morning of June 1, 1921. As a result, many white men joined the Tusla race riots. As a result, the Greenwood District was burned down and many African Americans were killed or displaced from their homes and businesses.

The Tulsa Race Riots kicked off when a young black courier delivered a letter downtown. After riding just two floors, a white woman in the elevator screamed “Rape!” The news spread very quickly, elevated by a newspaper article published in the May 31, 1921, Tulsa Tribune. The young black man was arrested. Both blacks and whites gathered at the courthouse to protest the situation and shots were fired. The African Americans were outnumbered and retreated back to Greenwood. Then things got really out of control.

Greenwood District__Completely_Burned_Tulsa_Race_Riots_1921
Over 35 blocks of African American homes and businesses were destroyed on June 1, 1921, in the Greenwood district of Tulsa, OK.

White mobs rallied and full out attacked the Greenwood district, looting and burning 35 blocks of homes and businesses. Though reports vary, historians estimate that upwards of 300 people were killed. As many as 9,000 African Americans were left homeless. And maybe most shocking, eyewitnesses reported that planes flew over the community and dropped dynamite on the buildings. Let me say that again- Americans purposely bombed the people and properties of Greenwood.  And on top of that, many African Americans were arrested and held at the Tulsa Fairgrounds and Convention Center for up to 8 days.

Greenwood men arrested during Tulsa Race Riots of 1921
During the burning of Greenwood district of the Tulsa Race Riots in 1921, African American men were rounded up and held at the Convention Hall and Fairgrounds for up to 8 days.

Somehow, this and most other race riots were not included in our textbooks growing up. In fact, I had never heard of the Tulsa Race Riots or Greenwood district until I was watching a PBS special last year, 10 Streets That Changed America, and then did some more research online.

President Trump and Juneteenth

And that brings us back to the issue of President Trump wanting to do a Presidential campaign rally on June 19th in Tulsa. Even though it has supposedly been rescheduled to June 20th, just the fact it was placed on his schedule is disturbing.

President Trump likes to speak and act with very little, if any, filter. He loves the attention he gets from being controversial and adversarial, a formula he mastered while in business, and on his reality tv shows. Trump seems to appeal to the renegade, bad boy personality in many people, and the sad part is that so many people are taking his behaviors as permission to then turn and behave poorly towards others.

I get the desire to be a renegade. I am a free spirit and this whole blog is about embracing who you are as an individual. To breathe deep, be brave, and be yourself. However, that should never be at the expense of someone else.

We are living in a very dangerous time. President Trump is using his power and platform to discredit the media, discredit our political parties, and discredit all three branches of government. He acts because he wants to act. He seems to fire high ranking government officials almost every week. We can only imagine how strained the scene in the White House must be. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to come to the conclusion that his staff and advisors are barely holding things together.

And he says what he says when he wants to say it. Thanks to his tweeting and other public moments, he discredits many groups of U.S. citizens, especially along racial lines.

His desire to visit Tulsa, OK on June 19th, is literally incendiary. He knew it would appeal to his strongest base of supporters, upset minorities, and get him major media coverage. He lives for attention. I’m not sure he is capable of even understanding working for the greater good or loving thy neighbor. These are basic concepts in almost every religion and spiritual practice.

With so much going on in our country right now, we desperately need healing energy. We need to reach out and support one another. We need a sense that things will get better. We need hope. We don’t need anything that will continue to tear us apart. President Trump is purposely fanning flames to ignite resentment and fear of anyone we perceive as different or better than us.

Juneteenth and the Tulsa Race Riots are part of American history. They both tell stories of people who were resilient and determined and had every right to be. Juneteenth has become a day of remembrance as well as a celebration of African American culture and achievement throughout the U.S. While some people moved away after the riots, others stayed to rebuild their lives in Greenwood. The legacies of both show the importance of understanding our complicated history while looking toward the future with hope and humanity. But what we don’t need now is to ignore the lessons and end up repeating history.

For more information on Greenwood and the Tulsa Race Riots of 1921, check out these great articles, audio eye-witness interviews, videos, and resources:

*Read about, listen to firsthand accounts, view photos and resources of the 1921 Tulsa Race Riots at the Tulsa Historical Society and Museum virtual exhibit.

*Learn more about The Greenwood Cultural Center and the history of the Greenwood District of Tulsa, OK here.

*Read the 2005 study issued by the National Park Service about the Tulsa Race Riots.

*View this Smithsonian Magazine article containing a powerful eyewitness account of the Tulsa Race Riots.

*Listen to an NPR interview of the last living witness of the Tulsa Race Riots.

Learn more about the history of Juneteeth here:

*Check out this article by Henry Louis Gates, Jr. explaining the history of Juneteenth.

*Read this article from the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture on the legacy of Juneteenth.

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Should Columbus Day Still Be Celebrated As a Holiday?

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*I wrote this article a few years ago for a popular museum blog. I think my conclusions still ring true- Christopher Columbus was a product of his time, and we should be careful in what we teach future generations about him. And, WOW! What a jerk! By honoring Columbus Day, we are dishonoring many others.

In fourteen hundred ninety-two
Columbus sailed the ocean blue.

(Full poem below).

Most of us remember learning this famous Christopher Columbus poem in elementary school as part of our Columbus Day education. We learned early on that Columbus “discovered” America while hoping to find a simple western route to trade with India and China. To many of us, Columbus was a historical hero, a true Bohemian, as were most other explorers we learned about. As kids, we ate up that sense of adventure! Who didn’t want to be a discoverer of someplace new?

Engraving of Christopher Columbus from 1595
Engraving of Christopher Columbus by Johann Theodor de Bry, 1595.

However, in real life, Columbus had some very strong motives and not such a great track record. Columbus was motivated by conquest plus gold and spices, two very hot commodities in Europe at the time coming in from the Far East. Instead of finding his way to China and India, Columbus landed with his 3 ships in the Bahamas on October 12, 1492. On his first day on land, Columbus already had in mind to convert the local “Indians” to Christianity and make some of them his servants.

In his journal that day, he wrote, “It appears to me, that the people are ingenious, and would be good servants and I am of opinion that they would very readily become Christians, as they appear to have no religion. They very quickly learn such words as are spoken to them. If it pleases our Lord, I intend at my return to carry home six of them to your Highnesses, that they may learn our language.”


After establishing the first colony at an island he named Hispaniola, Columbus became the first governor and viceroy of the West Indies. He enslaved the local natives to help establish his foothold in the region and to help look for and mine for gold to send back to Spain. According to History.com, recent research shows Columbus quelled several native rebellions with intense violence. He also sent thousands of Taino Indians from Hispaniola to Spain to be sold into European slavery.

The European explorers also brought numerous contagious diseases to the “New World.” Illnesses like small pox and measles spread to epidemic levels and all but wiped out many of the native populations.

Columbus-Taking-Possession-of-the-New-Country
Columbus Taking Possession of the New Country, chromolithograph, Boston, U.S.A. : Published by the Prang Educational Co., 1893.

So, back to the issue of celebrating Columbus Day. Was Christopher Columbus a product of his time and place? Yes. Should he still be celebrated as a hero today and his accomplishments be recognized by a national holiday even though he was ruthless and beyond disrespectful to the native peoples he encountered? I think we should be very careful about what we teach the next generation.

In 1492

In fourteen hundred ninety-two
Columbus sailed the ocean blue.

He had three ships and left from Spain;
He sailed through sunshine, wind and rain.

He sailed by night; he sailed by day;
He used the stars to find his way.

A compass also helped him know
How to find the way to go.

Ninety sailors were on board;
Some men worked while others snored.

Then the workers went to sleep;
And others watched the ocean deep.

Day after day they looked for land;
They dreamed of trees and rocks and sand.

October 12 their dream came true,
You never saw a happier crew!

“Indians! Indians!” Columbus cried;
His heart was filled with joyful pride.

But “India” the land was not;
It was the Bahamas, and it was hot.

The Arakawa natives were very nice;
They gave the sailors food and spice.

Columbus sailed on to find some gold
To bring back home, as he’d been told.

He made the trip again and again,
Trading gold to bring to Spain.

The first American? No, not quite.
But Columbus was brave, and he was bright.

-author unknown

Enjoyed this article about Columbus Day? Check out more history-related articles here and also in the book review section.


Battleship USS Wisconsin BB-64: Touring an Iowa Class U.S. Navy Ship

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Here in the U.S., we have such a rich military history. We are so fortunate to have many military museums across the country that document history while preserving military artifacts. I recently toured the Battleship USS Wisconsin (BB-64), which sits in the harbor of Norfolk, VA and is part of the fantastic Nauticus maritime museum. This massive ship and its various crews served in three wars and was an absolute mechanical engineering marvel for its time. It was a very humbling experience to be on the battleship. I encourage you to take the time to visit the USS Wisconsin or one of its sister Iowa class battleships in your travels.

Battleship USS Wisconsin BB-64
About to board the USS Wisconsin at the Nauticus Museum in Norfolk, VA.

The USS Wisconsin is one of four Iowa class battleships that were built during World War II. Six battleships of this size and design were ordered by the U.S. Navy to be built during World War II, but luckily the war ended before the last two were completed.

All four of the Iowa class battleships are decommissioned by the Navy and are open to the public for tours. Here are their locations and links to learn more:

*USS Iowa (BB-61) is in Los Angeles, CA at the Battleship Iowa Museum and Pacific Battleship Center.

*USS New Jersey (BB-62) is in Camden, NJ, across the river from Philadelphia, at the Battleship New Jersey Museum and Memorial.

*USS Missouri (BB-63) is in Pearl Harbor, HI at the Battleship Missouri Memorial.

*USS Wisconsin (BB-64) is in Norfolk, VA at the Nauticus Featuring the Battleship Wisconsin.

The USS Illinois and USS Kentucky were the other two Iowa class battleships that were begun but never completed due to the end of World War II. Their hulls were later scrapped in 1958.

History of the USS Wisconsin and Sister Iowa Class Battleships

USS Wisconsin Iowa class battleship
View of USS Wisconsin BB-64 battleship in Norfolk, VA.

So what was the big deal about the Iowa class battleships, including the USS Wisconsin?

According to Randall S. Shoker, who wrote the museum guidebook for the USS Wisconsin, by late 1937, the U.S. Navy caught wind that the Imperial Japanese Navy was building three super battleships. These battleships were estimated to be larger and more powerful than any ship in the US Navy fleet or even scheduled to be built.

Per the Second London Naval Treaty of 1936, the U.S, France and Great Britain requested that Japan not build any military ships over 35,000 tons. It became evident that the Imperial Japanese government was disregarding the treaty. As a result, the U.S. Navy went to work developing plans and designs for the 45,000 ton, 16-inch gun Iowa class battleships.

USS-Wisconsin_16 inch guns_forward deck
Close-up of three 16 inch gun bases gracing the deck of the USS Wisconsin.

The main purpose of the Iowa class battleships, including the USS Wisconsin, was to provide escort and protection to the aircraft carriers and smaller ships that made up the U.S. Navy presence in the Pacific Theater during World War II. As you step on board the USS Wisconsin or one of its sister ships, you will quickly realize these battleships were not to be messed with! These ships are massive, as are the guns gracing its deck. Even the anchors and anchor lines are huge.

USS Wisconsin_Bow of boat_anchor chains
View of the USS Wisconsin standing near the bow of the boat. Note the two huge anchor chains.

What is really interesting about the USS Wisconsin, was that it was commissioned for World War II, then decommissioned, reactivated for the Korean War, decommissioned again, then reactivated for Operation Desert Storm in 1991, with its final decommissioning in 2006. The strength of the ship and its immense firing power from its 16-inch guns, were still useful almost 30 years later after the ship was built. We had a friend who served on the USS Wisconsin in Operation Desert Storm who said there was nothing like those huge guns going off! The guns have a 23 nautical mile range.

Touring the USS Wisconsin and Sister Ships

USS Wisconsin_Battleship_Tour_sign
Welcome sign for USS Wisconsin battleship tour.

Each of the battleships offers self-guided tours as well as VIP scheduled tours. I highly recommend taking at least one of the VIP scheduled tours. They are totally worth the extra cost. Often led by retired US Navy Veterans, you will learn a ton not only about the ship but also about how people lived and worked on the ship. And the veterans are full of stories from their own naval experiences. They also share stories from people who served on the ship and who have come back as civilians to share their own memories.

Top of USS Wisconsin_Radar_Equipment
The USS Wisconsin and other Iowa class battleships were updated in the 1980s to have modern radar and missile systems.

On the USS Wisconsin, I toured the main sections of the battleship first. Most people do this by following the self-guided ship map and signs. I was fortunate to be part of a private tour group and event fundraiser, which inspired me to come back to do additional tours. You can wander around the main deck, and then go below to see everything from the ship’s chapel and dental clinic, to the enlisted men’s living quarters, offices, machine shop and mess hall.

Throughout the ship, you will see military posters and bits of artwork graffiti adorning the walls created by various sailors throughout the years. Wandering around the ship really gives you an idea of how big the USS Wisconsin is, yet how cramped it must have been when operating with a full crew.

16 inch guns_USS Wisconsin
Note how large the 16 inch guns are in comparison to the students standing by them.

Guided Command and Control Tour

Conning Deck view toward Bow on USS Wisconsin
View from the Conning Deck of the USS Wisconsin facing the bow of the battleship and downtown Norfolk, VA.

Next, I took the VIP Guided Command and Control tour. This included climbing up and down four stories of the ship on original, really narrow metal ladders. Be sure to wear comfortable shoes. You will also be walking over grates, climbing through hatches and trying not to bump into things. Your legs may or may not forgive you after this ship-wide adventure!

USS Wisconsin_Machine_shop
The USS Wisconsin was almost completely self-sufficient while out to sea. If any gears or equipment broke, new ones could be built in the Machine Shop.

The tour takes you through officer quarters, including that of the Admiral and Captain, which are interesting to compare to the cramped quarters of the enlisted men. You will be impressed by the Combat Engagement Center. This is where the action of the ship was plotted, planned and acted upon. While the room is filled with part World War II and Korean War components, the space was also updated with modern equipment such as computers and radar in the mid-1980s. You will listen to an impressive “live” combat situation while parts of the room light up to help you understand who makes decisions when and how an operation would proceed.

USS Wisconsin Iowa class battleship Combat Engagement room
Combat Engagement Center on the USS Wisconsin with 1991 state of the art radar and missile control technology.

Next, you will then be taken up to the bridge and conning tower, where there is an amazing view over the front of the ship. The flag bridge was where the captain often spent his time. Then the pilot tower sits on the deck above the flag bridge. I also enjoyed seeing the central part of the pilot tower, known as the armored conning tower. The conning tower is the chamber from which the ship was actually steered. Three sailors were literally locked into the room for the duration of their shifts. The room was circular and reinforced by over 17 inches of steel. The idea was that the room could withstand bomb impacts from enemy fire, so the sailors could keep navigating the ship regardless of what else was happening elsewhere on the ship.

USS Wisconsin Navigation Room Iowa class battleships
Navigation Room: Sailors were trained in both high tech and traditional navigation techniques.

Finally, the tour concludes with a visit to the areas where Operation Desert Storm era Tomahawk missiles once inhabited the ship. The Wisconsin held eight box launchers on one of its upper decks. These boxes contained a total of 32 Tomahawk cruise missiles. These missiles worked on a precision system and could hit a target up to 675 miles away. Some of the box launchers and the tracks they worked on are still intact on the ship.

Tomahawk missile launch box_USS_Wisconsin_1991_Desert_Storm
An example of a Tomahawk missile launch box used in 1991 Desert Storm on the deck of the USS Wisconsin.

Guided Engine Room Tour

Steam system diagram_USS Wisconsin_engineering
This diagram shows the engineering behind the four identical steam systems that drove the USS Wisconsin forward.

The next tour I took was into the bowels of the USS Wisconsin on the Guided Engine Room Tour. I know very little about electrical and mechanics, but all I could think during this tour, was Wow! What an amazing feat of engineering. The Iowa class battleships were built to be sleek and fast. The ships operated on steam and could cruise through the water at up to 33 knots. They also held so much gasoline (over 2.5 million gallons of fuel) that they could refuel smaller ships in the Navy fleet while at sea. This was a huge advantage at the time.

The USS Wisconsin and other Iowa class battleships were fast because they were operated by 4 identical competing boiler systems. Each fire room contained 2 oil-burning boilers, a total of 8. The boilers were manually managed, creating steam to power the ship. The ship was then managed and driven forward by 4 massive propellers.

Our guide shared a 3-D video with us in one of the fire rooms, where a sailor takes you through the process he uses to light the boiler and then monitor its heat and steam production. Depending on commands from other parts of the ship, such as how fast to sail, sailors in the engine rooms would manually adjust the boilers and steam production. If it was “Full sail ahead!” our guide said the four-engine room teams would often compete with each other to see how fast and accurately they could get their part of the ship operating.

USS-Wisconsin_Fire_Room_Boiler
An example of a lit boiler in one of four Fire Rooms aboard the USS Wisconsin.

The Engine Room tour was fascinating. Once again, get ready to traipse all over the ship, mostly climbing to the lower decks. Everywhere you turn there are electrical lines, pipes, valves, and gears. You will wander through “Broadway” the main corridors that run the length of the ship on both sides.

USS_Wisconsin_Broadway_running length of ship
“Broadway” ran the length of both sides of the USS Wisconsin. Note all the chamber doors that could be closed during combat operations.

Also, you will visit the Machine Shop, where any valve or part for the ship that breaks could be recreated onsite. Then, you will then scoot down some very steep ladders and across grates to see the boilers, walls of fire room gauges, turbo generators, steam turbines and the propeller shafts. Again, you will have that feeling like you are going to bump your head on beams or back into gauges or pipes. It is a true reality check when you think that during its lifetime, up to 2,800 men lived and worked on the USS Wisconsin at any given time!

USS Wisconsin_Engine_Room_Gauges
Manually monitored gauges in one of the four engine rooms on the USS Wisconsin.

While someone who studied engineering or electricity will really enjoy the details of what they are looking at, the USS Wisconsin Engine Room tour is still very eye-opening. The equipment to run the Iowa class ships was massive! You walk away imagining how hard (and hot!) the work was for sailors to run these ships 24/7. And I am thoroughly amazed that the USS Wisconsin was used in Operation Desert Storm in 1991. While it had many upgrades in its radar, missile defense and electronic systems up top, the reality was the manual engine operations propelling the boat were much the same as they were in World War II and the Korean War.

USS-Wisconsin_example_gears_valves_Mechanical_engineering
The USS Wisconsin and sister Iowa class battleships were true feats of mechanical engineering. This is an example of typical gears and valves used to manage the ship.

I encourage you to visit the USS Wisconsin at the Nauticus museum in Norfolk, VA and its sister Iowa class battleships in New Jersey, Los Angeles, and Hawaii. As one middle school student from Ontario, Canada who I happened to meet while standing at the bow of the boat looking back at the whole of the ship, exclaimed, “This is AWESOME!” I had to laugh at his enthusiasm, (He’s a future engineer, for sure!), but also had to agree setting foot on the USS Wisconsin is an impressive experience.

Happy Adventuring!

Love military history? You may also like this travel review on the National D-Day Memorial in Bedford, VA.


A Ghost Photography Book Review: The Apparitionists: A Tale of Phantoms, Fraud, Photography, and the Man Who Captured Lincoln’s Ghost

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If you ever peruse Victorian photographs on Pinterest or the web, you probably have stumbled across one of the most famous pictures of ghost photography- Mary Todd Lincoln being consoled by the ghost of her husband, Abraham Lincoln. The picture is creepy, yet somehow draws you in. It is a photo of mourning, yet comfort at the same time. The photo has a universal quality to it. Don’t we all want to know that our passed loved ones are still near and watching over us, even to this day?

Lincoln's Ghost_Photograph of Widowed Mary Todd Lincoln
Mary Todd Lincoln being consoled by the spirit of Abraham Lincoln in famous ghost photograph by William H. Mumler. From the collections of Allen County Public Library, Fort Wayne, Indiana

The ghost photograph of the Lincolns was taken by William H. Mumler around 1869. Mumler was an early dabbler in the art and science of photography just as the invention arrived in the United States from Europe. The new book, The Apparitionists: A Tale of Phantoms, Fraud, Photography, and the Man Who Captured Lincoln’s Ghost by Peter Manseau takes us on a fascinating journey through the 1850s to just after the Civil War when photography becomes all the rage in the United States.

The Apparitionists: A Tale of Phantoms, Fraud, Photography, and the Man Who Captured Lincoln’s Ghost

For the first time, people could capture and preserve- in the moment- images of their loved ones and hold them close even after that person passed away. Until that time, people of means maybe had a painted portrait or two created during their lifetime. For most people, images of their loved ones simply faded away with memories.

Photography, especially in the early years, was certainly a grand science experiment. First, the desired image needed to be captured on plates, then developed with a series of chemicals, followed by the printing of the image. The process was often dangerous, depending on the chemicals used, and time-consuming. In the early days, people had to sit without moving for several minutes so that there was enough time for the exposure to take place. Preparation of the camera plates and development of the photos also left lots of room for human error.

Whether he meant to be or not, William H. Mumler became one of the most famous and sought-after photographers of his time. Mumler appeared to have a gift- he caught spirit images in his photographs. How he did it, he never revealed. But most likely, he manipulated his camera plates and chemicals to expose such images into his portraits.

With such massive loss of life during the Civil War, coupled with the affordability of photography during the 1860s – almost every soldier had a photo taken of himself in uniform before heading off to war to leave with loved ones- people turned to photography to help them grieve. And Mumler one-upped this by capturing the spirits of those loved ones they were grieving.

In The Apparitionists: A Tale of Phantoms, Fraud, Photography, and the Man Who Captured Lincoln’s Ghost, Manseau explores the role of the Spiritualism Movement in America, which also helps explain people’s obsession with ghost photography. As we recently explored in the post about the Erie Canal, Spiritualism started in Upstate New York. People wanted to know their passed loved ones were still close and helping to guide their lives. Contacting the dead through mediums and séances became all the rage. Many of these activities were acts of showmanship and sleight of hand, but people didn’t care. They desperately wanted beliefs to hold onto. Spirit photography easily found its place among such believers.

Yet many people set out to prove Spiritualism practices such as Mumler’s ghost photography as fraud. Numerous people, including competitor photographers, came to Mumler’s studio to try and spot his manipulations. Articles for and against ghost photography were written about in popular magazines of the day.

William Mumler Trial_Harper's Weekly_May 6_1869
The front cover of the widely read Harper’s Weekly from May 8, 1869 describing the Spirit Photography trial of William Mumler in detail.

All of this activity came to a head in 1869, when William Mumler gets charged with fraud and finds himself in the center of a lengthy and expensive court case. Most of the case was dramatically published in Harper’s Weekly. Manseau walks the reader through many of the transcripts of the trial. The trial takes numerous turns as witnesses argue not just whether William Mumler is guilty of fraud but whether ghosts are real and Spiritualism, in general, is reputable. Even P.T. Barnum, the ultimate showman of the time, steps in as a witness.

While a trial like William Mumler’s would certainly be thrown out of today’s courts, in 1869, the case received national attention. It is a curious look at how the court was conducted in Victorian America and leaves a lot to be desired.

I will leave the rest of the whodunnit and how, plus the outcome of the trial for you to find out when you read the book. The Apparitionists: A Tale of Phantoms, Fraud, Photography, and the Man Who Captured Lincoln’s Ghost is an incredibly interesting read well worth your time.


Heaven’s Ditch: God, Gold and Murder on the Erie Canal: Book Review

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I am excited to review Heaven’s Ditch: God, Gold and Murder on the Erie Canal, by Jack Kelly, a fascinating look at the building and impact of the Erie Canal on American history, commerce and expansion.

Book Review_Erie Canal_ Heaven's Ditch by Jack Kelly

Growing Up Near the Erie Canal

Having grown up in central New York, we learned about the Erie Canal, visited places that once were part of the canal and played along parts of the Erie Canal that still existed. We visited the Erie Canal Village and Erie Canal Museum. We rode in a packet boat pulled by mules and sang the “Low Bridge, Everybody Down” song. I still remember parts of it all these years later.

Erie Canal song_Low Bridge Everybody Down
The Most famous song about the Erie Canal, Low Bridge, Everybody Down

The Erie Canal is just part of Upstate New York culture, and we are pretty darn proud of it. Construction of the Erie Canal began in 1817 and completed in 1825, so we are in the middle of celebrating its bicentennial. Surveying of the land began in 1808 and according to Jack Kelly’s research, the terrain was such wilderness, the surveyor, James Geddes, had to take a team of people with him just to rough cut a path to measure and place his survey markers.

Building the Erie Canal

Canals were very common all over Europe, but in the early 1800s, a revolutionary idea, especially in America. Ridiculed as “Clinton’s Ditch” after New York Governor Dewitt Clinton, many felt building a canal across New York State was a huge waste of money. Visionaries, however, who saw how much the Appalachian mountains along the Eastern part of the United States made it difficult for Western expansion, were interested in the curious break in the mountains in upstate New York near Albany. The idea was if a canal could connect the Hudson River, which was deep enough for seafaring ships to move between New York City and Albany, with points to the west, goods and people could be transported easily and affordably. Vast lands to the west were ideal for farming and feeding the growing number of people living in cities along the Eastern seaboard if the cost of transporting such supplies could be reduced.

The story of how the Erie Canal was designed and built is such a tale of American aspiration and ingenuity. If you’ve ever taken a drive across New York State, you will notice how diverse the terrain. New York was once covered by glaciers that receded creating mountains and hills laced with lakes and rivers, ravines and waterfalls, while the middle of the state just south of the Lake Ontario is relatively flat and swampy. Trying to navigate East-West even today can be tedious depending on the weather, as anyone knows who’s been caught in a rain or snow storm along the New York State Thruway. So imagine trying to create a waterway flat enough to connect the Hudson River with Lake Erie, an area that spans over 360 miles. The terrain actually rises around 600 feet between the banks of the Hudson River and the shores of Lake Erie. This meant building locks and aqueducts throughout the canal to make it feasible by boat.

Erie Canal drawing showing survey of terrain differences between the Hudson River and Lake Erie.

The engineers taking on the Erie Canal project had little to no experience in building such structures, so much of the canal was built in a trial and error format. Working on the canal was difficult and dangerous, and used a huge immigrant workforce to complete. According to Kelly, it was the first organized labor force of its kind in America.

Influence of the Erie Canal

Once completed, the cost of travel for people and goods dropped drastically. Towns and cities, like Rochester and Syracuse, burgeoned with population growth and new industries. People moved west in droves hoping to cash in on farming and other businesses that could now use the Erie Canal to ship their goods. Immigrants used the canal to move Westward into Ohio and beyond where land was still cheap and the hopes of keeping their culture and religions intact seemed likely. New York City’s population also grew quickly as an advantageous port city.

View on the Erie Canal_painting_John William Hill
Erie Canal Painting by John William Hill, 1830-1832, showing packet boat being pulled by mules.

What’s most interesting about Jack Kelly’s book is his careful weaving of the stories of some of the famous people who came out of this era of Erie Canal expansion. Having lived most of my life in the Fingerlakes region of central New York State, I had always learned that this area was a hotbed for all sorts of political, religious and moral thinking. People like Fredrick Douglas and Harriet Tubman resided in the area. The anti-slavery movement was huge here, as was the Underground Railroad. The first Women’s rights convention was held in Seneca Falls in 1848. Women’s Right to Vote leaders Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B Anthony and Matilda Joslyn Gage all lived in Central New York. The Mormons and Church of Latter Day Saints were founded by Joseph Smith in Palmyra, NY. Other forms of Christianity expanded greatly through upstate New York in this same time period. The Masons and anti-Masonic movement got its strength from this region.

Erie Canal Pottery_Staffordshire
This Staffordshire Pottery commemorated the opening of the Erie Canal in 1825. From the collections of the Rochester Museum & Science Center.

After reading Heaven’s Ditch, I finally understood WHY all of this came to be in and around Central New York. The Erie Canal made it possible. Points along the Erie Canal made it one of the easiest places to travel to, and affordably. The canal was used by the Underground Railroad to move escaped slaves along to Canada. Transportation enabled political people to meet and share information. Religious evangelists, like Charles Finney, arrived by the canal to bring huge tent revivals the area. Saving souls was big business at the time of American expansion.

I will say no more, but to recommend getting your hands on a copy of Heaven’s Ditch: God, Gold and Murder on the Erie Canal, by Jack Kelly. I will leave the murder part and some of the other more interesting characters up to you to discover. His writing makes the book a fast, interesting read, and if you didn’t already recognize so many of the people by name, you’d wonder if some of the characters are fiction. Heavens Ditch is the best book I have read about what life was like along the Erie Canal in the 1800s.