Nathan Bedford Forrest is considered by some to be one of the most infamous and powerful racists in American history. The first official leader of the Ku Klux Klan, some historians allege that Lieutenant General Forrest’s most heinous...Show More Summary
Rebel President Jefferson Davis
Tim Murphy at Mother Jones has written a terrific feature informing us of a sickening story:
When a statue of civil rights icon Rosa Parks was unveiled in the Capitol's Statuary Hall in late February, it joined an exclusive club. Show More Summary
Worried about who your teenager currently looks up to and admires? Well, now you can return them to the good old days of the Civil War and Southern chivalry with Lochlainn Seabrook’s book about Nathan Bedford Forrest that is geared specifically for teens. Ride along with Forrest and get a firsthand look at his childhood [...]
Over at the Atlantic I share some thoughts about the recent controversy in Memphis surrounding the renaming of Forrest Park. I hope the essay at least provides a bit of historical context to this issue. Once again, thanks to Court Carney for making my job much easier. Tennessee’s state legislature finally passed a measure making [...]
A number of you have emailed me requesting additional information on the historical context of the unveiling of the Nathan Bedford Forrest memorial in Memphis in 1905. I mentioned the other day that the best source I’ve found is Court Carney’s Journal of Southern History essay, “The Contested Image of Nathan Bedford Forrest” (August 2001). [...]
The Memphis City Council has voted to rename three parks that honor the Confederacy. Confederate Park becomes Memphis Park, Jefferson Davis Park changes to Mississippi River Park and Nathan Bedford Forrest Park is now Health Sciences Park. Show More Summary
This story just keeps getting more bizarre by the hour. Earlier today it looked like the Memphis City Council was going to vote to change the name of Forrest Park to Forrest – Wells Park, in honor of Ida B. Wells. Of course, local heritage organizers decided to shuttle in H.K. Edgerton to speak on [...]
There are a number of plans on the table that would change the name of Nathan Bedford Forrest Park in Memphis, Tennessee. Any plan that involves removing the Forrest monument would also have to include the removal of his remains which are buried below. That presents all kinds of challenges. As I’ve said before, I [...]
Monument to Nathan Bedford Forrest,
first Imperial Wizard of the KKK, in Selma, AL,
before the bust on top was stolen.
Grassroots Democracy, a community organization in Selma, Alabama, has posted a petition at Change.org which has garnered...Show More Summary
From a recent story about attempts to restore a statue of Nathan Bedford Forrest — a man who should be honored only by the application of urine to his gravesite — in Selma: “We take the position that, in this country, we’re allowed to venerate our heroes,” said Todd Kiscaden, a Friends of Forrest member [...]
Southern Military historians remember Nathan Bedford Forrest as a brilliant tactician, a "wizard of the saddle"—an innovator in cavalry military maneuvers. Others remember him as a slave trader, the first Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan, and the murderer of hundreds of surrendered black Union troops at the battle of Fort Pillow. Show More Summary
This is for those of you who are interested in the mind and imagination of Jack Kershaw, who is responsible for the Nathan Bedford Forrest equestrian memorial in Tennessee. This [...]
Yesterday I posted a video on the Civil War Memory Facebook page about the recent controversy in Jacksonville, Florida concerning Nathan Bedford Forrest High School. The short documentary tells the [...]
We're going to fight to the death against you and your nigra allies--Nathan Bedford Forrest, Matt…
July 13, 1821 - Lt. Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest (right) is born at Chapel Hill, TN. Though possessing little formal education, Forrest became one of the richest men in the South in the years prior to Civil War. Enlisting as a private,...Show More Summary
From this week’s on-line edition of Time: The Civil War’s 150th Anniversary Divides the South By CLAIRE SUDDATH Claire Suddath – Thu Mar 3, 4:15 am ET In 1867, former Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest became the first Grand Wizard … Continue reading ?
The Sons of Confederate Veterans’ recent proposal for a Missippi state-issued license plate in honor Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest, who was also an early leader of the Ku Klux Klan, has become the issue of considerable national attention. This controversy has been heightened with the refusal of Governor Haley Barbour to publicly denounce the [...]
Over the weekend we reported about Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour's refusal to denounce a proposal to honor Confederate Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest, a co-founder of the Ku Klux Klan infamous for leading his rebels in a massacre of...Show More Summary
Just days after saying he wouldn't take sides over a planned controversial measure to issue Mississippi license plates to honor Confederate General and former Ku Klux Klan grand wizard Nathan Bedford Forrest, Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour now says he'll veto any legislation passed to make it a law. Show More Summary
Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest was a traitor, a racist, and some say, a murderer--basically the trifecta of despicability.
Yet, despite this man's heinous history and outrageous character flaws, Mississippi is seriouslyShow More Summary