The Nathan Bedford Forrest High School Controversy
Nathan Bedford Forrest High School is majority African American. The name was given to the High School during the 1950s when the school was majority white upon the suggestion of the Daughters of the Confederacy as a protest against a Supreme Court decision mandating the desegregation of public schools.
The Nathan Bedford Forrest High School controversy illuminates how southerners still regard the history of the Civil War. To many white southerners, Nathan Bedford Forrest was a military hero who fought against the Union Army. To African Americans, as a black member of the Duval County School Board suggested, Nathan Bedford Forrest was a terrorist and a racist. Both views have a degree of truth to them
Nathan Bedford Forrest was one of the greatest cavalry commanders in the Civil War Forrest lead units of fast moving mounted troops that often performed out of proportion to their numbers. Nathan Bedford Forrest fought in major engagements such as Shiloh, Chickamauga, and Brice's Crossroad as well as uncounted smaller engagements.
There are two serious controversies surrounding Nathan Bedford Forrest. Forrest was accused of conducting a massacre of African American troops who had surrendered at Fort Pillow. Conflicting accounts of the massacre, though, caused a Congressional investigation to clear Nathan Bedford Forrest.
Nathan Bedford Forrest is also accused of being a founder of the Ku Klux Klan after the Civil War. Forrest denied this, even though the KKK named him as its first Grand Wizard. In any event, it is not disputed that Nathan Bedford Forrest turned against the Klan, urging that it disband after the KKK engaged in violence.
Nathan Bedford Forrest was a slave owner and a slave trader, the latter occupation considered disreputable in the anti bellum South. He was undoubtedly a racist, as was very common in the middle 19th Century. Whether Nathan Bedford Forrest was a terrorist depends on what one believes about his responsibility for Fort Pillow and his involvement with the KKK.
Controversies over names of schools and other public buildings and the Confederate flag will continue to occur in the southern states. But there is one other fact to consider. Nathan Bedford Forrest High School has received two consecutive "F" grades on state assessment tests. One wonders if as much effort could be made correcting that situation as in arguing over the name of the school.
Source: Fla. board keeps Klan leader's name at high school, Ron Ward, AP, November 4th, 2008
Published by Mark Whittington
Mark R. Whittington is a writer residing in Houston, Texas. He is the author of The Last Moonwalker, Children of Apollo, Dark Sanction, and Nocturne. He has written numerous articles, some for the Washington... View profile
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6 Comments
Post a CommentThose who know the real story of Forrest- know that he did have initial involvement in the Ku Klux Klan. The ignorant and politically correct historical revisionists usually end his story right there. Nathan Bedford Forrest = KKK Founder.However, it was not long after his becoming involved that he saw the organization as toxic and did a 180 degree turn in life by urging peace between Blacks & Whites in this country. His funeral was attended by many a black citizen of Memphis who knew what Forrest was really all about.
God Bless Your School For Chosing The Name!!
Gotta Love That Nathan Bedford Forrest,He Fought For The Right Side ,But Due Too An Overwhelming Population In The North ,The South Lost! 1 In 4 Southern Men Died Fighting For The Confederacy ,The Man Was A Brillant Calvaryman Who Entered The War As A Private And Ascended To The Rank Of General,Fact Also Forrest Freed 44 Slaves Since They Agreed To Fight With Forrest ,Only 1 Deserted The Entire War !,They South Needed Time To End Slavery And Do It In A Peaceful Manner ,It Was In The Works,But Abraham Lincoln Came Along And 600,000 Men Die For His Actions! What A Crazy!!!
Hurray for the Duvall School board!!! About time someone grew a backbone and said we are not changing a historical name due to political correctness.
I notice that you contradict yourself through out the article, perhaps next time you right something you should just stick with the facts, that being Forrest did not found the KKK and there is no such thing as a Fort Pillow massacre. This incident has from all sources to be a fabricated event and a propaganda tool.
Now the students can get started on the business of learning some true history.
George Purvis
Gulfport, Miss.
This story made http://detentionslip.org ! Check it out for all the crazy headlines from our schools.
Huh, not sure how I feel about this one. I do agree that money could be better spent educating kids than worrying about what to name their high school.