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I'm Feeling Nostalgic

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There's seems to be a nostalgia for Woolworth's lunch counter these days on Facebook.  I think many people don't know the history of Woolworth's in the South, or have conveniently forgotten it.  Here's a clip from the History Channel on the sit-ins during the 60s as Blacks tried to break the color barrier and have a hot lunch.

It seems a lot of folks have been "Gumped" when it comes to contemporary American history, preferring the warm and fuzzy world of Forrest Gump to what actually happened in the early 60s.  This nostalgia takes on many forms, ranging from Whitman's famous chocolate sampler to the way conservative politicians try to reshape the way we should view this deeply divided time by resorting to homilies.


Comments

  1. Rick DiguetteJanuary 29, 2013 at 1:52 PM

    I know where you are coming from on this, but isn't there some room for nostalgia here? Just because these lunch counters became potent symbols of segregation doesn't mean that is the only way they should be remembered.

    ReplyDelete
  2. James FergusonJanuary 29, 2013 at 4:11 PM

    True, but judging by the political nature of the persons posting these "nostalgic" images, I have a pretty good idea where they are coming from. Same persons who try to use the Civil Rights movement to defend gun rights.

    ReplyDelete
  3. James FergusonJanuary 29, 2013 at 10:35 PM

    Facebook has become a pin-up board for political action groups, although this particular site seems to be relatively innocuous. Still, the lunch counter photo upset me since it has such an obvious allusion to the Civil Rights Era.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Rick DiguetteJanuary 30, 2013 at 1:09 AM

    I must be missing something. What website are you referring to?

    ReplyDelete
  5. James FergusonJanuary 30, 2013 at 9:00 AM

    This is the site,

    https://www.facebook.com/pages/Im-Feeling-Nostalgic/476507909051434?fref=ts

    and this was the Woolworth lunch counter pic,

    https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/265176_477841565584735_1789357261_n.jpg

    ReplyDelete

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