Jan 11, 2007

A Few More Notes

by Cliopatria

Alun Salt,"Ithaca Found?" Revise & Dissent, 10 January.

"Matthew Jones at Yahoo News introduces ancestorsonboard.com, a project of the Great Britain's National Archives. It digitizes and makes searchable the manifests of all outward bound passenger ships leaving the British Islands between 1890 and 1960. It could be invaluable to researchers in family history. Thanks to Dale Light of Light Seeking Light for the tip.

Thanks to Robert Townsend at AHA Today, you can compare the original and the amended texts of the AHA's resolution against"free speech zones" and its resolution against the war in Iraq. The latter resolution will be submitted to the AHA membership for ratification. Without a majority of votes in that plebiscite, it will not be considered an official statement of the AHA. Similarly, at AHA Today, Elizabeth Grant posts the text of a letter from Barbara Weinstein, Linda Kerber, and Arnita Jones to Atlanta's Mayor Shirley Franklin to protest the arrest and incarceration of Felipe Fernández-Armesto. The matter is under local investigation.

My friend, Dimitri Rotov at Civil War Bookshelf [scroll down; his permalinks aren't working.], apparently believes that I was too dismissive of claims made about quilt/codes in Hidden in Plain View. Dimitri should consult the discussions I referenced on H-Slavery (though there have been earlier ones, the most recent begins here) and apparently thinks I've made up my mind before all the evidence is in. Well, yes, I'm doubtful that George Washington was a transvestite in private moments, but I'm willing to look at your evidence of it.

Finally, Ed Darrell at Millard Fillmore's Bathtub wants to know how many states have pledges of allegiance to the state flag. Texas law requires public school students to repeat pledges to the United States' and the state flag every school day. So far, Ed's got the text for pledges in Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Ohio, South Dakota, and Texas. Alabama's another one, Ed:"Flag of Alabama I salute thee. To thee I pledge my allegiance, my service, and my life." And then I wash my mouth out with soap.

More Comments:

Oscar Chamberlain - 1/12/2007

In third grade in the Highland Park (Dallas suburb) School District, we all had to learn the Texas State Anthem. (You can get a fancied up version of the music here.

Enjoy.

Alan Allport - 1/12/2007

I happily jay-walked under those circumstances. I wonder if the arrested professor did the same?

No, he was arrested on Thursday afternoon, when as far as I recall there was no rain.

Rebecca Anne Goetz - 1/11/2007

It occurs to me that part of the problem might have been the rain on Friday as well. That caused the crosswalk area historians were being directed to use to flood significantly, making it impossible to cross at the crosswalk. One couldn't even stand *near* the crosswalk because passing cars threw up emough water to soak historians waiting to cross.

I happily jay-walked under those circumstances. I wonder if the arrested professor did the same?

Ben W. Brumfield - 1/11/2007

I wonder how old the state flag pledges are. I went through twelve years of semirural public school here in Texas, with their two years of Texas History, so I wasn't exactly shielded from such things by godless librul teachers. Nevertheles, I only stumbled across the state flag pledge for the first time a couple of years ago when I was refreshing my memory on the lyrics to the state anthem.

"I pledge alleigance to thee, Texas one and indivisble" has a modern ring to it. It certainly lacks the poetry and hyperbole of "O Empire grand and glorious, You stand supremely blest"

Jonathan Dresner - 1/11/2007

I went my whole life to this point without even knowing about the existence of State Flag pledges. Obviously I never had to say one in Maryland.

Is it considered treason to use the wrong accent?