Thursday, May 19, 2011

Tell the truth

When you enter a  museum it is like taking a step back in time.  Yesterday, I took a group of students to a local museum.   Our group had a wonderful docent, she gave a clear and thoughtful presentation.  In each room, she shared fascinating details about the Hunt Morgan family and their contributions to Kentucky and American History.  Built in 1814, the Hunt Morgan House is just one of the historic treasures in Lexington.

Addressing uncomfortable truths...  we cannot escape historical facts... servants during this time period were not servants.... they were slaves.

As a former docent at another local museum,  I  carefully followed the script researched by the curator. In one conversation,  I simply had to say, "They were not servants during this time period.  Those individuals who cooked, tended the animals and the crops.... they were slaves."


A view of the garden



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2 comments:

  1. LizMay 20, 2011 at 12:12 PM

    hi mrs sturdivant! i noticed that when i was a kid and we toured a plantation in south carolina they also called the slaves "servants." why is that?

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  2. jacqueline not jaciMay 21, 2011 at 10:30 PM

    Liz,
    Why? I truly don't understand. Slavery is a historical fact that is impossible to deny. Who does it make more comfortable by using the word servant instead of slaves?

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