Charlottesville 2017: The Legacy of Race and Inequity

by Louis P. Nelson (Editor), Claudrena N Harold

When hate groups descended on Charlottesville, Virginia, triggering an eruption of racist violence, the tragic conflict reverberated throughout the world. It also had a profound effect on the University of Virginia's expansive community, many of whose members are involved in teaching issues of racism, public art, free speech, and social ethics. In the wake of this momentous incident, scholars, educators, and researchers have come together in this important new volume to thoughtfully reflect on the historic events of August 11 and 12, 2017.

How should we respond to the moral and ethical challenges of our times? What are our individual and collective responsibilities in advancing the principles of democracy and justice? Charlottesville 2017: The Legacy of Race and Inequity brings together the work of these UVA faculty members catalyzed by last summer's events to examine their community's history more deeply and more broadly. Their essays--ranging from John Mason on the local legacy of the Lost Cause to Leslie Kendrick on free speech to Rachel Wahl on the paradoxes of activism--examine truth telling, engaged listening, and ethical responses, and aim to inspire individual reflection, as well as to provoke considered and responsible dialogue. This prescient new collection is a conversation that understands and owns America's past and--crucially--shows that our past is very much part of our present.

Contributors: Asher D. Biemann * Gregory B. Fairchild * Risa Goluboff * Bonnie Gordon * Claudrena N. Harold * Willis Jenkins * Leslie Kendrick * John Edwin Mason * Guian McKee * Louis P. Nelson * P. Preston Reynolds * Frederick Schauer * Elizabeth R. Varon * Rachel Wahl * Lisa Woolfork

244 pages, Paperback

Published August 10, 2018

Reviews

[John Biers · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up this book on a recent visit to Charlottesville. It’s a strong collection from various faculty at the university trying to digest the horrible events of 2017, including the siege on the city by rightwing extremists and white supremacists. Most of the essays are strong, but I was especially impressed by Elizabeth Varon’s piece on the bogus “lost cause” Civll War narrative, which has resonance in light of how the far right are characterizing the 2020 US presidential election. Another especially strong piece is Preston Reynolds’ look at the odious history of eugenics at the university and its role in preserving the social hierarchy prior to the Civil Rights Movement.

[Kevin Wasinger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Insightful read about the historical patterns that led to the Unite the Right rally in 2017. Worth the read.