Who Was Logan Peter Martin, Prisoner and Poet?

I found Logan P. Martin’s prison record from 1913 in the Federal Penitentiary in Atlanta, Georgia while browsing online via the National Archives. He was one of many federal inmates whose records have been preserved for history. Most of these records contain the obligatory mugshot and fingerprint records, but Martin’s file also contained a handwritten poem about the atrocity of murder committed during wartime. One verse proclaims:

“It is a crime as base as hell
To Take from man the breath of life,
Even though your country says ‘tis well
To join the sanguinary strife.”

The poem is signed by Logan P. Martin, Convict #4642, Federal Prison, Atlanta.

Prisoner and Poet

So who was inmate Logan Martin? ((December 28, 1873-1929) A little further digging reveals that the prisoner Mr. Martin had a book of poetry published in 1915 entitled Chrysalis by J. J. O’Donnell of Atlanta, Georgia. Byrd Printing Company agreed to print the book at cost according to a publisher’s note inside. Apparently, it took a lot of people to publish this 104-page volume. Amongst those thanked inside the book include Atlanta Mayor James G. Woodward who also has a photograph of his mustachioed self, Reverend Cary B. Wilmer (a pensive side-view photo included), Reverend Doctor John E. White (a photo with starched collar), and Dean John R. Atkinson. Also included in this book of poetry is a tribute from Rabbi Doctor David Marx that reads in part,

“We welcome this little book of verse, flung red hot from the soul-forge, of one who, while in prison, emancipated himself. It is a message to his fellow men outside the walls. A perusal of its pages raises a mighty question: ‘Who is a prisoner? Who is really free?’”

Songs of the Heart

Chrysalis is divided into four sections, the first of which is called Songs of the Heart. While this section includes some standard themes indicated by the title— women, Christmas in prison, and children— there is also a whimsical and unexpected poem of affection entitled “Lines to a Roach.” The first verse reads,

“There is a timid little roach,
That comes to see me every day.
He’s very shy in his approach,
But that, I think, is just his way.”

Songs of Life

The second section, Songs of Life, reveals some of the poetic popularity of Mr. Martin. In the poem “From a Prison Cell”, he perhaps reveals regret and circumspection perhaps about his crime when he writes,

“A thing once done is never dead.
The best way to undo the deed
that makes our heart and conscience bleed
Is just to look above and say:
I will pursue another way.”

Also included in this section is a short unentitled poem that may or may not be about prison officers and/or prison administrators but it is certainly about those in positions of petty power.

“The large officiousness of small officials
would be almost piteous were it not so ludicrous.
Just watch poor Willie Wimple strut;
He has a place wherein he can
Lord it over another man

And he’s a wondrous wonder but –
With all his faults we love him still;
He’s not as bad as we may think,
for Willie has to eat and drink,
and he needs his job to pay the bill.”

In the above poem, the first verse calls out the abuse of power, and the second verse tempers it with understanding. This perhaps illustrates the delicate relationship between prisoner and jailer—both depend on each other for their livelihoods.

There are small paragraphs of prose interspersed with the poetry. One reads:

“Centuries of example have not yet convinced the powers that be of the futility of punishment. Where one man has been reformed by punishment a thousand have been reformed by mercy” This paragraph concludes, “Moses, Jesus, Mohammad, Luther, and others who have accomplished things in the world, were leaders, not drivers of men.”

This reader interprets this paragraph as social commentary about the prison and legal system. While prison administrators and employees are encouraged to act as role models, some correctional officers and administrators operate as punishing people-herders rather than responsible leaders.

In another intriguing paragraph Logan P. Martin writes,

“In the upward trend of events three things are hastening to become fixed among us, namely, woman suffrage, the abolition of the open saloon, and the disarmament of all civilized nations.”

As a book written over 100 years ago, Chrysalis becomes a time capsule. It is interesting to note that only the open saloon—the idea of the doors swinging out and in simultaneously to all—is no longer an issue in America. Sadly, women’s suffrage and the disarmament of the world are still works in progress in the 21st century.

Songs of the Soul and An Essay

The third section of Chrysalis, Songs of the Soul, reveals the spiritual and contemplative side of Logan P. Martin who is truly a jailhouse philosopher as well as a poet.

“A prisoner has but one true friend—
A friend regardless of his crime;
That helps him always to the end--
We call him by the name of Time.”

While Chrysalis is an acceptable book of poetry, it also has some corny, funny, and schmaltzy bits. A case in point is a love poem entitled “Maude Mining” presumably in honor of a fair maiden of the same name. Maude is a nature girl who, like Snow White, enjoys frolicking in nature with birds and sunshine. One especially funny verse reads,

“When you’re on the lake canoeing,
All the sea-gods go a-wooing.”

The final section of Chrysalis is "An Essay in Four Parts" and consists of a meditation on prisons and prisoners.

“Looking into the past of the average man in prison, I have discovered the environments which surrounded him were bad.” In this observation, Martin is spot on -- the reasons many end up in prison are the same today. In attempting to give Logan Martin more back story and context this researcher felt compelled to do some genealogical digging.

Logan Martin in the Census and in Prison Records

In Martin’s final prison record from 1913 he says he was born in Kentucky. A search on the US Census of 1880 reveals only one Logan Martin (age 7) living with his parents, Peter & Julia. The census also lists four siblings to Logan Martin. Peter Martin, the head of the household, lists his occupation as a farm laborer. Mrs. Julia A. Martin lists her occupation, of course, as keeping house.

In searching the travels of Logan Martin it is most interesting to find his additional incarceration records on the National Archives website.

• In 1895, Mr. Martin, age 22, (inmate #1119) is housed at the federal penitentiary in Atlanta, Georgia, on charges of altering a postal money order in east Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

• In 1899, Mr. Martin, age 26, (inmate #2331) is housed at the federal penitentiary in Atlanta, Georgia, on charges of counterfeiting in Baltimore, Maryland.
• In 1913, Logan Martin, age 40, (inmate #4642) is housed at the federal penitentiary in Atlanta, Georgia, on charges of counterfeiting in Baltimore, Maryland.

It is the final prison record from 1913 that reveals the most clues regarding Mr. Martin’s personal information. The Bertillon Measurement Card for Mr. Martin is pictured here, an almost elegant, handwritten record with a sepia-toned portrait:

From this fascinating picture we know that Logan Martin is 5-foot 9-inches tall, weighs 137-pounds, and has bad teeth. In this record, Mr. Martin is age 40, a native of Kentucky, and his occupation is listed as ‘newspaperman.’

Logan P. Martin in the Baltimore Sun

While the National Archives contains records of three separate convictions and incarcerations for Martin, the Baltimore Sun reveals at least one additional arrest. From a small article dated September 2, 1904:

“Rev. Logan P. Martin, an evangelist, was arrested in Roanoke on a charge of raising money orders.”

Repeat Offender

So, somewhere between Martin’s second and third stint in the federal prison in Atlanta, he may have done time in Virginia on similar counterfeiting charges. Or, as the next article indicates, he may have made bail and skipped town. It is also interesting to note that he is described in the article as an evangelist with the title of Reverend. There is no mention of Mr. Martin’s alleged clergy status in Chrysalis and this researcher raised a skeptical eyebrow at this small arrest article. Was Mr. Logan P. Martin a con man who knew the language and posture of a clergyman? Did he use his piety (real or pretend) to convince those around him that his poetry was worthy of publication?

The next mention of Martin in the Baltimore Sun is from December 1908. The article reads: “Logan P. Martin was arrested for making and passing counterfeit nickels, and is said to be wanted in Baltimore and other cities for raising money orders. When arrested here he said his name was Peter Vinson. Subsequently, he admitted his guilt, it is said, and gave his correct name, saying he is a native of Kentucky. It is said he is wanted by the police of Denver, New York, Philadelphia, and Wilmington.”

It is also relevant and interesting to see the photo of Mr. Martin as a civilian in a bowler hat, tie, and mustache. His flat affect and narrowed eyes make him appear more of a streetwise criminal than his wide-eyed, clean-faced prison portrait.

The final mention of Mr. Martin is in the Baltimore Sun in 1909. This is a recap of the counterfeit nickel arrest that took place at his residence at 502 East Fayette Street in Baltimore, Maryland. The last two sentences are the most interesting,

“He said he was formerly a minister of the Christian Church in Kentucky, and lived on a farm near Owensboro, in that State. In April 1906, he said, he was released from the Government prison at Atlanta after serving a term of two years for raising money orders in Philadelphia, and he said he wished to get back to that prison as soon as possible.”

Further Questions About Logan Martin

So, if Mr. Martin’s intentions were to get back to federal prison as soon as possible, why did he initially offer up the Peter Vinson alias? This researcher also thinks that there are more expeditious ways to get back to federal prison than setting up a counterfeit nickel operation. This researcher speculates that Mr. Martin’s pattern of travel, arrest, and counterfeiting reveals him to possess a criminal mind of deception and denial.

Given the information about Logan P. Martin not revealed in Chrysalis, it is interesting and telling that so many men of God came together to publish this book of poetry. Mr. Martin in the role of Reverend, real or imagined, had the skills and vocabulary to be able to talk, interact, and influence the Mayor of Atlanta, two Reverends, a Rabbi, and an academic Dean. In return, all of these upstanding members of society gain cache by publishing a book of poetry discovered inside a place where poetry is an unexpected refinement. Mr. Logan is perhaps something of a trained cat or a sword swallower, able to perform extraordinary feats for the entertainment of others. However, I don’t want to sell Mr. Martin short-- as a prisoner in the early 20th century, it is quite an achievement for an inmate who may have challenged literacy skills to be able to put together and publish a book of poetry. To have inspired and motivated many important people of the day to cooperate in the creation of Chrysalis, Martin must have had powerful charisma.

Who benefits more from the publishing of Chrysalis? The repeat offender and inmate Logan P. Martin? Or, the Mayor, Reverends, Rabbi, and Dean who lend their names and reputations to this symbol of gentility? Or perhaps the reader is inspired by a literate inmate who spends his time creatively? This researcher hypothesizes that the answer is ‘yes” to all of the above. Regardless of the motivations and benefits of this book of prison poetry, it is a fascinating relic of an era over 100 years ago when clergy rallied to lift up a shiny remnant of humanity “flung red hot from the soul-forge.”

After Prison & Death

After spending some quality research time with Logan P. Martin, I really hoped that he had time to live life outside of prison. (He was a non-violent offender after all.) I was pleased to find out that he did. There is one marriage record for Logan P. Martin and Anne (Irwin) Martin, who married in Manhattan in New York City on January 2, 1924. (Martin’s parents are mentioned as Peter and Julia as well as his birthplace of Cromwell, Kentucky in 1873, which confirms this is the same Logan P. Martin.) It is interesting to note that the marriage record lists Mr. Martin as divorced-- perhaps he had a previous unrecorded marriage? Ms. Anne Irwin Martin, age 39 and also previously divorced, lists her parent’s names as Walter Irwin and Anne Howell.

How long did the marriage of Logan and Anne Martin last? It is hard to say, but his death certificate suggests a brief marriage. Logan P. Martin died on May 10, 1929, at age 56 in the Columbia Hotel in New York City, his marital status listed as single. It is interesting to note that Mr. Martin’s parents are correctly listed as Peter Martin and Julia Wilson. His occupation is listed as a salesman and his final resting place is the City Cemetery, no cause of death was indicated.

Appendix

1880 Census, b. 1873, Kentucky
Ohio County, Kentucky, Sulphur Springs
Parents: Peter Martin, age 50, farm laborer, birthplace is Kentucky
Julia A. Martin, age 38, keeping house, birthplace is Kentucky
Siblings: Reuben, age 15
Nora, age 11
Alonzo, 9
Logan, 7 (b. About 1873)
James, 5
"United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MCZ2-VWT : 11 August 2016), Logan Martin in the household of Peter Martin, Sulphur Springs, Ohio, Kentucky, United States; citing enumeration district ED 185, sheet 617B, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 0436; FHL microfilm 1,254,436.

Death Record

“New York, New York City Municipal Deaths, 1795-1949,” database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:24MQ-GVJ : 20 March 2015), Logan P. Martin, 10 May 1929; citing Death, Manhattan, New York, New York, United States, New York Municipal Archives, New York; FHL microfilm 2,057,106.

Marriage Record

"New York, New York City Marriage Records, 1829-1940," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2467-C58 : 20 March 2015), Logan P. Martin and Anne I. Martin, 02 Jan 1924; citing Marriage, Manhattan, New York, New York, United States, New York City Municipal Archives, New York; FHL microfilm 1,643,139.

The Bertillon Measurement System

The Bertillon Measurement System was one of the first methods of capturing the identification of inmates and criminals and was developed by French police officer and biometrics researcher Alphonse Bertillon (1853-1914). Fingerprinting ultimately won out as a better system of identification over the complicated physical measurement system invented by Bertillon.

Toxic Libraries - What Are Some of the Causes?

Have you ever worked in a toxic work environment? Most people have had this experience at least once in the work world. Sadly, I have talked with many librarians and library employees who are suffering daily in a toxic library. Is this common? In my opinion, yes.

Let's define a toxic workplace, in general, first. What are the hallmarks of dysfunction in a library?

• In a toxic workplace, library leaders show favoritism to loyal followers and punish anyone who does not show proper deference. 

• Toxic workplaces have bosses that crush and question new ideas out of defensiveness and fear.

• Toxic workplaces do not value employees and treat them accordingly.

• Toxic workplaces are always asking their workers for more while giving less in return.

• A toxic library or workplace can look a lot like a dictatorship in some small and isolated third-world country.

Perhaps the worst and most pervasive hallmark of a toxic and dysfunctional workplace is that No One in charge can acknowledge problems and deal with them effectively. This article from Fast Company describes some of the hallmarks of a toxic workplace which is unfortunately very common in the US with suggestions for addressing the issues.

Lack of Library Management Skills

One of the reasons many libraries flounder with poor leadership and high turnover of employees is because of the lack of management skills. These are complicated personnel and leadership issues, and most American Library Association-accredited library programs do not have an emphasis on library management. During the graduate program at the University of Tennessee, we did not have one course in library personnel and board management. Think about it. Libraries are complicated entities being run by information professionals who may have zero supervisory experience when they assume a leadership or management role.

As a library director, you have to juggle all constituents from staff to students, to parents, to board members, to the county commission. Library leaders need to be well-informed, forward-thinking, communicators who are good at nurturing and building a team. Without the benefit of a proper Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree, many libraries are led by tribal elders who have not changed in decades.

Too Many Cooks in the Library

Another reason why there are so many toxic libraries has to do with the strength of involvement from the community, library patrons, the state library commission, and the library board. As nonprofit businesses, there are many groups of constituents who want to be involved in the way a library serves its community. Mostly, this is good. Public libraries want the community involved so that the library may serve them better. But what if the library board is controlling the director and employees? Most library directors serve at the pleasure of the board and keeping the board informed, involved, and happy comes with the territory. Many small rural library boards do not understand that the director runs the day-to-day operations of the library and their main responsibility is to fundraise, create policy, and oversee the budget. Library boards that are overbearing and controlling contribute to creating a dysfunctional workplace for most. Library boards need to understand their unique role and they need to stand behind their director.

An Uninvolved Board

I have also heard library leaders complain of uninvolved and complacent boards. If board members do not show up at meetings regularly they miss the narrative, thrust, and goals of the library. And sometimes, libraries with little board oversight have the potential to become strange little petty fiefdoms, a bizarro world where nothing makes sense. The library without oversight is as vulnerable to becoming toxic and dysfunctional as the library with too much. Let us all pause and give good cheer for successful library boards that can walk that fine line between being supportive and being over-/under-involved. I have seen healthy library and nonprofit boards-- it can make or break the success of any nonprofit workplace.

The Nonprofit Equation

As a nonprofit business, there is no financial bottom line. Libraries do not necessarily need to make money to stay afloat. So, what indicators may a library use to know it is healthy and thriving? Statistics are one story. How many items circulated? How many library visits? In many ways, a successful library may use exceptional customer service to keep these statistics healthy. However, in my experience, I have encountered many librarians who don't seem to understand what excellent customer service looks like. In the corporate or retail world, poor customer service skills would not be tolerated, especially when this results in lower profits. In my tenure as library director, not a single board member ever asked to see circulation statistics, and during my early days of directing I did not realize how important they may be.

As a student and practitioner of marketing, all of your endeavors should be measurable. How do you measure and analyze the success of your library? Good library leaders focus on assessment, gathering data, and analyzing statistics to inform good decisions. These reports should be provided to board members and the public regularly for good library relations. Many board meetings feature a Librarian's Report. This is a great place to discuss accomplishments and goals, important statistics and trends, and to keep the library board members informed. This is invaluable communication that builds collaboration and cooperation between the library and the community.

Employers Marketplace - The Economy Is Still Recovering

When I was a graphic designer and art director in the 1990s in Philadelphia, I had my pick of good jobs and better jobs. I left one of my first nonprofit jobs after five months because I could see the dysfunctional writing on the wall. I also gave one of the best lines of my career: "This job did not meet my expectations." Since the economy crashed in 2007-08, it has become an employer's marketplace. I have encountered many employers who have the attitude that their workers should just be happy to have a job, any job. In a competitive job market, employers are less likely to treat their workers well. Maybe in another decade, the economy will bounce back, but the wealth of the 1990s will probably not appear in my lifetime. Sadface.

The Technology/Age/Culture Gap in Library Workplaces

This effect will vary by geographical location. In states with older librarians and less funding (like West Virginia), there is a huge technology gap between young and old librarians. Older librarians resent younger librarians who come with ideas of new technology. I have met many older librarians who still weep tears over the loss of the card catalog and who fear learning new technology. This resistance to change means that underserved states who are ruled by older librarians will remain less technologically advanced than their neighboring states with better populations and tax bases. Sadly, this may be another way that poverty becomes cyclical in Appalachia.

For many of us, we can not afford to be highly selective in choosing a library job. But I do urge people who are looking for a librarian job to do some research before they accept a job in a toxic library. This may be difficult as many toxic workplaces may be good at making appearances matter. At your job interview, ask why the previous person left. Ask about their style of management. Ask questions, and remember that you have valuable work skills and deserve to work someplace that treats you well. In the meantime, it feels like so many good librarians are just waiting for about ten years in the future. Older librarians will retire, new technology will overcome, and the economy may actually bounce back. Hang in there, good librarian friends. The future of libraries is going to be a good one.

Privacy in Libraries: E-Rate, CIPA, the Library Freedom Project, and the Tor Project

While I was working at a public library in West Virginia I noticed a few things about our public Internet computers. Yes, they were slow. They also came with protective filters meant to filter out viruses and spyware. As librarian I had passwords that could lower the security system called Fortress, but many times the secret override password had been changed and librarians were not notified. I also noticed (sometimes) that when a patron could not access a site it was because it was super unsafe and dangerous, a plus on the Fortress side. But there were times when the Fortress software did not allow access to services that patrons really needed. One time it happened with a patron who needed to access her university website-- there was just no way to access the necessary site due to the protective software. My goal as library director was to serve all of my patrons and to not be able to help this one patron felt wrong.

What Is E-Rate?

Because our library is a public and a school library, another librarian friend warned me, "If kids come into the library and use the computers, you have to monitor to make sure they are not using FaceBook." Really? This one really confused me because it was an aspect of librarianship I was not familiar with...am I the Internet Police at my library? Is that part of my responsibility? This librarian's comment was meant in relation to E-rate, the federally funded program that discounts the cost of Internet for schools and libraries. E-Rate is the nickname for the Schools and Library Program of the Universal Service fund, which in turn, is administered by the Universal Service Administrative Company under the direction of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Stacked within layers of bureaucracy, YES, it is all a little confusing and senses-taking, so please bear with me, this is important library stuff worth knowing about.

E-Rate in West Virginia

In West Virginia, E-Rate gives back almost $13 million in 2015. I can confirm that as part of the E-Rate program, our library's telephone bill was reimbursed every six months and this saved us about $600 per year. We had no Internet fee because the service was paid for by the West Virginia Library Commission (WVLC). I can see that the WVLC was reimbursed a little over $16,000 for Internet access which is 65% of the full cost. I'm including the data below from the Universalservice.org site: (Click on the image below to make it appear larger.)

What is CIPA?

The Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA) was passed by the United States Congress to help keep kids safe online. This leglislation says that any entity that receives E-Rate funding has to comply with CIPA by having certain filters in place online to protect children from seeing obscene images and/or harmful content. (Read more about CIPA here.) My favorite takeaway from CIPA is this: "CIPA does not require the tracking of Internet use by minors or adults." So, because the WVLC has filters in place librarians are not responsible for monitoring what minors are looking at online. *phew* That is a relief, because I feel like kids have rights, too, and no one likes someone looking over their shoulder while they are browsing online.

What is Tor?

I recently saw a news story from the Kilton Public Library in Lebanon, New Hampshire, and I thought, "This is important." Kilton Library looks to be a progressive and forward-thinking library with a wonderful green design and well-lit interior. Earlier this summer, Kilton Library became the first public library in the United States to become part of the Tor Network, an anonymous Internet browser. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was not so happy about this and contacted the library by email. Eventually, the DHS, the local police, and Kilton city officials all had to have a long meeting to talk things over and Tor was shut down. Now, the community is being polled to see if they will support the Tor Browser and the Tor Network at the public library. Stay tuned.

So what is Tor? Why is To important? The Tor browser on library computers allows patrons to use the web anonymously. What does that mean? The Tor browser routes information in a circuitous fashion, almost like a high-speed chase, in order to not be easy to trace or follow. Currently, most browsers store your data and information. Google knows where you have been and it does not consider your email private. Does that feel a little bit like Big Brother is watching you? Some people don't mind being served up ads based on private communications, but others find this deeply manipulative and materialistic. The Tor browser has no ads and it is not selling you anything. While some might associate criminal activity with anonymous web use, there are many legal and legitimate uses for the Tor browser by an eclectic group of users that include law enforcement officials, military, and journalists.

Support Library Freedom

I, personally, am all in favor of anonymous Internet browsing in the public library (can you tell?), but I also want to give the point of view of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The DHS does not like Tor because it associates the anonymity with criminal activity, and DHS has really focused on child pornography over the past decade. But Tor is not impervious to law enforcement. In March 2014, DHS took down a major child pornography ring that used the Tor network. While there is potential for illegal activity on Tor, this potential exists in every nook and cranny of the Internet. I might argue that the benefits of Tor far outweigh the liabilities.

The American Library Association supports intellectual freedom and unfiltered and unfettered Internet use is part of that freedom. The OpenNet Initiative and the Library Freedom Project are working to preserve these rights. Libraries and librarians are not law enforcement officers, nor Internet nannies. I encourage all librarians and information professionals to talk about these issues with your board members so that they can have the information they need to make decisions about filtering the Internet in libraries. Privacy in the library is important to everyone.

Update: 9/27/15 - On September 16, Kilton Public Library of New Hampshire voted to continue being part of the Tor network. Score one for privacy online and in the library.

Reframing the Civil War - It Was About Slavery

Leighton Hall, Carnforth, England, 1989. Pictured left to right: Captain Tom Foster, Mary Rayme, and Michael L., representatives of the First Confederate Signal Corps of Maryland.

In creating an imaginary curated exhibition for a local history museum, the Beverly Heritage Center in Beverly, West Virginia, I had an epiphany about how we interpret and present the American Civil War in museums, in reenactments, and in history class. My story starts several decades ago when I was lured into Civil War reenactment by a boyfriend. For a solid year, we attended reenactments in Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and even England (see photo above), as part of the First Maryland Confederate Signal Corps. This was a rich and rewarding experience that pushed me headlong into history in a way that I will never forget. (If you want a more in-depth look at the subculture of reenacting, read "Confederates in the Attic" by Anthony Horowitz.)

U.S. Civil War Reenactment

So, what did we do at Civil War reenactments? We wore wool, we practiced semaphore (a binary language communicated with flags), we drilled, and marched. The highlight of most of the reenactments was, of course, the battle. The battles and skirmishes were usually very carefully discussed and considered by fake generals on horseback and other chosen leaders of the various factions attending. Thousands of spectators would turn out to watch the battle and walk among the campgrounds, eager to feel as if they had just stepped back in time. Hundreds of reenactors invested their own money to have authentic uniforms handmade, to buy authentic cotton duck tents, to bring functional artillery and horses to a fake battle that recreated a war resolved on paper in 1865. I met men and women from all over the world who had come to participate or observe. The only African Americans I ever met were dressed in Union uniforms or they portrayed freed African Americans. I never met a Civil War reenactor who dressed up and pretended that they were a slave. In fact, at many reenactments there was a lack of participants that wanted to dress as Union soldiers. Sometimes, there were coin tosses to decide about splitting up sides so that it appeared there was equal participation from Confederates and Federal troops. No lie, most reenactors at the events we attended wanted to be Confederates. For me, this was not an act of feeling any sympathy for the South at all. Slavery is a despicable institution and any supporters of slavery need to be eliminated and abolished. As a pacifist, I did not carry a weapon but I did learn semaphore.

The Beverly Heritage Center

Years later, I worked at the Beverly Heritage Center (as coordinator of the Staunton-Parkersburg Turnpike) for about six years and was involved in the creation of this awesome museum from historic rehabilitation of the buildings to the creation and design of the exhibitions. The museum has one whole building dedicated to interpreting the Battle of Rich Mountain, one of the first land battles of the American Civil War, part of the First Campaign. In what was then still part of old Virginia, the town of Beverly (like many WV towns) was traded back and forth by Union and Confederate troops, though Beverly's sympathies lay largely with the Union. The exhibition at Beverly celebrates the leaders and troops that fought (on both sides) and the strategies employed to create a win for the Union troops. (If you would like more information about the American Civil War in Western Virginia, I recommend Hunter Lesser's wonderful book "Rebels at the Gate.")

Slave quarters behind the Beverly Heritage Center. Photo by Mary Rayme.

So, fast forward to 2015. I am taking a Museum Studies class as one of my last courses of graduate school via the University of Tennessee. One of our assignments is to curate an imaginary exhibition at a museum of our choice. The project I chose was to create a picture of the African Americans, both enslaved and free, who once lived in Beverly, WV, and who helped to build this frontier town. I put together an imaginary exhibition that includes:

* The old slave quarters behind the Beverly Heritage Center

* The Randolph County Historical Society building that was built by slave labor.

* To cross the road between museums, visitors have to use Route 219, once known as the Staunton-Parkersburg Turnpike. This historic road was also used by runaway slaves seeking freedom across the Ohio River in Parkersburg to Marietta, Ohio, an abolitionist community. So part of the Underground Railroad is a piece of the exhibition that will have signage and interpretation.

* Finally, there is a section of Beverly Cemetery that is unmarked where slaves were buried. While this area is too far away for foot traffic, it should be photographed with appropriate signage for full effect.

It is clear from the evidence that exists that African Americans played an important role in building the town of Beverly.

My Civil War Education Epiphany

My big epiphany in planning this imaginary exhibition of the life of African Americans in Beverly, WV, made me realize that we may be teaching Civil War history all wrong. Like, super wrong.

In the exhibitions that we carefully and lovingly created for the Civil War we celebrate the warriors, troops, and generals who fought the Civil War. We talk about the townsfolk, merchants, and farmers. We admire their uniforms, buttons, powder horns, and rifles. We forgot to teach (thoroughly) why we fought the Civil War. We neglected to celebrate the people the North was fighting to free--African Americans. What was it like in early Beverly with freed African Americans and enslaved African Americans living in the same town? Perhaps if Civil War museums focused more on the horrors of slavery and the struggles of African Americans to be treated as equals, maybe we would have less racism overall?

Maybe all Civil War museums should debunk/expand/elucidate the history of the Confederate flag at every exhibition? Original documents such as the Declaration of Causes of Seceding States will be provided to reinforce that slavery was the driving issue of the Civil War. Even in contemporary culture, the issue of slavery has been sidelined in favor of generals and wars. We have had many excellent films about the Civil War, (Andersonville, Cold Mountain, Glory, Gettysburg, Gods & Generals), but not a single film about Harriet Tubman the most famous conductor on the Underground Railroad. Many Civil War exhibits may talk about the issue of slavery, but it is glossed over quickly-- no need to dwell on an unpleasant topic, right?. Wrong. We have chosen to celebrate soldiers over those whose lives and existence were in the hands of their owners and/or other white people. While soldiers fought the war from 1861-1865, slaves lived a life at war. We have chosen to celebrate war waged (mostly) by white people, rather than really taking the time to spiritually weigh and acknowledge our debt to African Americans.

Imagining a Better Way to Teach the Civil War

Imagine it this way: In Gettysburg where every state that participated in the American Civil War raised money to buy monuments to the troops who fought there, what if every state cooperated to create a National Slavery Memorial? What if there was one created in Washington D.C. on the Mall? This idea was proposed in 2003 but never came to fruition. America is clearly not ready to acknowledge the past so that it can move forward into the future with less racism and more tolerance. The Equal Justice Initiative has suggested a national monument system to tag and acknowledge places where African Americans were lynched. I think this is a great start. Americans, and particularly white Americans, need to be reminded that the riches they enjoy today as part of a peaceful and prosperous country came at a very high price. Slaves lived and died to build the United States and they deserve to be acknowledged. Just like the Holocaust, this is an event in history that should not be forgotten.

And what about the after effects of the Civil War on African Americans in Beverly? In the early 1800's there were African Americans, both freed and enslaved, in Beverly, West Virginia. We have evidence of their labor, we know where they lived, we know generally where they are buried. What we don't know is where they went. Today, Beverly is 98% white. In the border town of Beverly, WV, that had split loyalties between North and South, most African Americans likely left for locations where they could thrive and prosper.

Harriet Tubman c. 1885, courtesy of Wikimedia.

More Harriet, Less Ulysses

There is the old cliche that the victors get to write the history and that is certainly the case when we teach and interpret the United States Civil War. While education systems, historians, or media outlets may feign neutrality in talking about the Civil War, there is no way to present history without a bias. Let us consider changing the emphasis in how we teach the Civil War. I say, let's teach more Harriet Tubman and less Grant and Lee-- after all, John Brown called her General Tubman.

You may check out my slideshow presentation that I delivered for Museum Studies course here-- it is entitled "Who Built Beverly?"

Mount Everest as Metaphor: Respect the Goddess

I have always been an avid student of subcultures - small, but passionate groups of people who pursue a single-minded interest. In the past few years, I have enjoyed reading books and watching documentary films about the people who are obsessed with climbing Mount Everest. The culture of Mount Everest may also be viewed as a mirror microcosm of the paradigm shift in our economy - the very rich completely rule over everyone else and have little regard for the safety or success of the lower classes. Mount Everest brings the wealthiest climbers from Western culture to be served by the very poor Nepalese climbers who make very little per year and have no health or life insurance.

Mount Everest is a Goddess

Westerners view Mount Everest as the highest point on our Planet Earth. They want to climb it and to reach the summit for bragging rights and to conquer the world. The Nepalese have a very different view of Mount Everest, a mountain that they call Sagarmatha, the Tibetans call it Chomolungma which translates to Goddess Mother of the Land. The people who are native to this region regard the mountain as a goddess. The Tibetan prayer flags that are ubiquitous in all Mount Everest photos are prayers to the gods and goddesses carried on the winds that inhabit these high altitudes. The native peoples who help wealthy Westerners climb this mountain feel that proper prayers and respect must be paid to the mountain to ensure a safe season. But in the past two years, it seems the goddess is not pleased.

Hillary Helped the Himalayas

In 1953, Tenzing Norgay and Sir Edmund Hillary were the first humans that we know of to reach the summit of Mount Everest. Both men refused to say who summited first, in true gentlemanly form, and Hillary spent much of his wealth giving back to the community at the bottom of Mount Everest. The Himalayan Trust was established in 1960 to establish schools and hospitals for this rural and underserved population. Sir Edmund Hillary was a class act who respected the people who aided him up the mountain.

The Poor Serve the Wealthy

The Tibetan Sherpa people have lived at high altitudes for so long that their bodies have evolved to be able to survive at higher elevations than most without oxygen. This makes them well-suited to carry heavy packs for us flatlander Westerners. These Sherpas can make up to $8,000 in the three-month climbing period every year that brings climbers to conquer Everest. While that may be a lot of money for this part of the world, if a Sherpa dies on the mountain there is no life insurance for families left behind, no retirement plan, and no medical insurance for injuries sustained on the job.

Avalanches on Everest

In the past two years, two powerful avalanches on Mount Everest have claimed lives and altered the geography of the most coveted mountain. In April 2014, a powerful avalanche killed 16 Nepalese guides who are referred to by most as Sherpa. It was during 2014 that a climber was hoping to be the first to wingsuit fly off of Mount Everest. It's part of the reason the Discovery channel was there to record the avalanche in 2014. April 25, 2015--a 7.8 earthquake rocks Tibet and causes another avalanche on Mount Everest claims the lives of 19 would be climbers, including Google icon Dan Fredinburg. The death toll in Tibet at this writing is approximately 6,300.

The Cost of Climbing Everest

While the news media loves to cover the tragedies of lost lives on Mount Everest, what is more difficult to explain to people is the cost of climbing this sacred mountain. The license fee (which goes to the Nepalese government) is $11,000 per person. Nepalese climbers pay $750 per person. Most online guides quote a cost of between $28,000-$85,000 per person to climb Mount Everest. And if you know all the perks, that's a great price. The Sherpas are the people who carry Everything for you. They have tents set up for you at the various base camps. They carry your oxygen. They make tea for you and bring it to your tent. Ladders and guide ropes are already set in place for you by Sherpas and others who have come before you. If there are broken ladders or guide ropes, the Sherpa will replace them. All you have to do is haul your body up the mountain if you are able.

The Goddess is Angry

Some might say that the avalanches on Mount Everest are the product of global warming. I would like to suggest that The Goddess is angry. The people who live here and who enable wealthy Westerners to reach the top still live mostly in poverty and with few opportunities for success. The mountain is full of dead bodies, empty oxygen tanks, and frozen feces and urine. Wealthy Westerners may party at the top of Mount Everest while the underclass who made it possible still live in poverty. I will also suggest that it is arrogant and presumptuous to think that you can wingsuit fly off the top of Mount Everest and survive. It is disrespectful to the goddess and she deserves better. It is time to clean up the mountain and re-think the whole climbing process. How can a better system be set up so that the symbiotic relationship between Western climbers and native people can be more profitable for the Sherpa? Sir Edmund Hillary had the right idea by building schools and hospitals but there is still more work to do. The great goddess, Mother of the Land, deserves better, and people need to respect the planet as a whole.

Library Hero, Administrative Villain: J. Edgar Hoover

Most people remember J. Edgar Hoover as the first head of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) who kept extensive information and files on people whom he disliked, distrusted, or who caught his attention in a negative way. But did you know that before J. Edgar Hoover became a top law enforcer he was an information science professional, a librarian?

J. Edgar, the Movie

As a graduate student in the School of Information Sciences at the University of Tennessee, a professor who was introducing themselves and pitching their class talked about the film "J. Edgar." Released in 2011, this movie starring Leonardo DiCaprio as J. Edgar Hoover showed the evolution of this controversial man from humble librarian to head of the FBI.

J. Edgar the Cataloger

John Edgar Hoover (1895-1972) was born and spent his entire life in Washington, D.C. His first job at age 18 was as a messenger at the Library of Congress (LOC). Hoover also worked in the cataloging department. Later in 1951, Hoover wrote in a letter, “[T]his job …trained me in the value of collating material. It gave me an excellent foundation for my work in the FBI where it has been necessary to collate information and evidence.” In excellent homage to Hoover and the Library of Congress, there were some scenes for the film "J. Edgar" shot on location in the LOC.

J. Edgar Hoover, 1940 Census Clues

Just for fun, I looked at the 1940 United States Census to see if there was any information of interest there that would give a snapshot into who he was. According to that document, J. Edgar Hoover lived at 413 Seward Square in Washington D.C., age 45, single, and living alone. Perhaps the most interesting fact on this page is:

"Weeks Worked in 1939: 52"

"Hours Worked Week Prior to Census: 99"

I did a researcher double-take when I saw the number of hours that Hoover says he worked in the previous week. I went and looked at the handwritten document to find that '105' was recorded, crossed out, and replaced with '99.' So J. Edgar didn't take vacations and if he worked seven days a week he worked fourteen hours per day. Hoover was a workaholic. It is also interesting to note that J. Edgar Hoover lived in the same house his entire life.

Empire of Information Evil

If Hoover had remained at the Library of Congress the world might be a very different place. While Hoover excelled at collecting, codifying, and storing data, he used his information skills for evil. Hoover was a petty, malicious, controlling person with an unhealthy dose of paranoia, as many people may be who have dark secrets to hide. The full legacy of J. Edgar Hoover may never fully be known as his faithful secretary, Helen Gandy (pictured below), spent weeks destroying Hoover's personal files that he is said to have used to blackmail politicians, police, players, and Presidents.

Note: All photographs courtesy of the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Famous Librarian Writers

The famous folks below were at one time librarians but became famous for other reasons. While Beverly Cleary and Andre Norton were professional librarians, others, (such as Proust) dabbled in the library sciences.

Ben Franklin (1706-1790)

Author, printer, inventor, diplomat, postmaster, scientist, and activist, it's hard to pigeon-hole Franklin into one category.In Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and at the age of 21, Franklin started a subscription-based library where members pooled cash to buy and read books.

Photo: Portrait of Benjamin Franklin by Joseph-Siffrein Duplessis (1725-1802), c. 1785, oil on canvas, National Portrait Gallery, Washington, DC, courtesy of Wikipedia Commons.

Madeline L'Engle (1918-2007)

American writer Madeline L'Engle is best known for writing the classic young adult novel "A Wrinkle in Time" (1962), she also served as a volunteer librarian at the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine in New York City in 1965.

Photo: Courtesy of Square Fish Books.

Marcel Duchamp (1887-1968)

In 1913, painter, writer, and artist Marcel Duchamp took a position as a librarian at the Bibliothèque Sainte-Geneviève in Paris, France, where he also studied physics and math.

Photo: Marcel Duchamp playing chess (photo by Kay Bell Reynal, 1952)

Beverly Cleary (1916-)

Children's book writer Beverly Cleary graduated from the University of Washington in Seattle with a library degree in 1939. Some of Cleary's books include "Beezus and Ramona"(1955), "Ribsy" (1964), and "The Mouse and the Motorcycle" (1965).

Photo: Photo of Beverly Cleary, State Library Photograph Collection, 1851-1990, Washington State Archives, Digital Archives, http://www.digitalarchives.wa.gov

Hypatia (b. circa 350-370 - 415)

"There was a woman at Alexandria named Hypatia, daughter of the philosopher Theon, who made such attainments in literature and science, as to far surpass all the philosophers of her own time. Having succeeded to the school of Plato and Plotinus, she explained the principles of philosophy to her auditors, many of whom came from a distance to receive her instructions. On account of the self-possession and ease of manner which she had acquired in consequence of the cultivation of her mind, she not infrequently appeared in public in the presence of the magistrates. Neither did she feel abashed in going to an assembly of men. For all men on account of her extraordinary dignity and virtue admired her the more." ~ Socrates Scholasticus, from his Ecclesiastical History

Photo: Courtesy Wikipedia Commons. An actress, possibly Mary Anderson, in the title role of the play Hypatia, circa 1900.

Lao Tsu (b. circa 571 BCE - Zhou Dynasty)

This philosopher and poet of ancient China, Lao Tsu is said to have held a position as a scholar in the Imperial Archives. The most famous work most often attributed to Lao Tsu is the Tao Te Ching.

Photo: Courtesy Wikipedia Commons. A painting of the Daode Tianzun ('the Heavenly Lord of Dao and its Virtue'), the deified Laozi, one of the supreme divinities of Daoism.

Andre Norton (1912-2005)

Born Alice Mary Norton in Cleveland, Ohio, she went on to become a highly successful science fiction writer. But before she became a famous, award-winning author, she worked in the Cleveland Library System for 18 years. During World War II and from 1940-41, Norton worked as a special librarian in the cataloging department of the Library of Congress.

Photo: Courtesy Wikipedia Commons. Cover of Voodoo Planet by Andrew North, artist Ed Valigursky; half of Ace Double #D-345 (1959)

Marcel Proust (1871-1922)

While many consider French writer Marcel Proust to be one of the greatest authors in the history of literature, he was a terrible librarian. An asthma sufferer who appears to have been coddled by wealthy parents, Proust secured a volunteer position at the Bibliotheque Mazarine in 1896 and then went on sick leave without ever having worked a day. Oh, Proust. How adorable, frustrating, and funny.

Photo: Courtesy Wikipedia Commons. Marcel Proust in 1900.

It is interesting and strange to me that there are not more famous writers who were once librarians as librarians may have access to the best books and resources. Great readers make great writers, but not all librarians, it seems, are great writers. Alas.