GDG- NPS & slavery

[CWMHTours at aol.com]

RE:  The emphasize on slavery and emancipation at  battlefields sites it is 
not just the battlefields.
 
In 1992 I began as a tourguide working as a narrator on the  Tourmobile 
Trams in Wash, DC.  There was, to me anyway, a rather bizarre  over-emphasis on 
slavery on the tours.
 
In particular Arlington Cemetery demanded that in our "script"  that we 
make "X" number of references to slavery and  African-Americans.
 
Tourmobile was a contracted service vendor to the NPS which  dictated the 
content of T's tours.
 
I really have no objection at all to making such  references.  But 
currently Afro-African Americans are 10%-15% of the  population and they deserve 
appropriate attention.  
 
But if you ask me I think the proportion was way out of whack  when it came 
to the issue.  
 
And most citizens know almost nothing of the history of the  cemetery and 
the plantation.
 
I am convinced IMO that there was less emphasis on George  Washington, for 
example, and his descendents there that there should have  been while slave 
and African-Americans were over-emphasized.
 
There were plenty of other things there that could have been  mentioned.  
Had not slavery and A-A's been emphasized I think all things  considered much 
more important stuff was omitted while we talked about slavery  and A-A's.  
Take the issue of race out of it and they were topics far less  important 
than other things.
 
I can't imagine how many people visit Arl Cem for a dose of  slave history 
but it must be practically none.
 
Where the motivation for this emphasis comes from I don't  know.  But then 
again I have learned to be no admirer of the  NPS.
 
I have never been in the VC at Gtysbg.  I have heard  about the emphasis on 
slavery in there and have avoided the place.
 
Who in their right mind comes to Gettysburg to learn about  slavery?
 
Your  Most Obedient Servant,
Peter