Those of you who have been in Steve's classes know his love for historical plaques. You also know he often shows plaques, even those with errors. One of Nat Turner's plaques, "Southampton County" mentions an obscure Confederate general, but ignores General George Thomas, a great Union General, led armies, always successful,
but as a boy, survived Turner's rampage by only minutes in southern Virginia. Mentioning Thomas did not fit "The Lost Cause" narrative the South created after the war.
Another interesting historic marker is in Georgia, where the plaque says "Blind Tom" who was Tom Wiggins, a former slave, and musical genius, lived in the area and buried nearby. Wiggins is actually buried in Brooklyn, N.Y.
Some of these markers are being corrected. In Steve's hometown of Cleveland, Ohio, the incorrect historic plaque of football player and coach, John Heisman, is being removed, to be replaced at his actual birth house a few houses down, and with his correct birth date. This is a picture of the original plaque, which will be taken down and probably destroyed.
If you find a historical plaque of interest (or one with errors), definitely let Steve know!
