Wowzers!! I had such an awesome night! I got the opportunity to talk about the 1938 reunion (and its predecessors) for the Knoxville Civil War Roundtable! It was so much fun! I have no idea how many people showed up, someone said it was about 100.
I usually talk without props — well, except for my hands, without which I would be mute! Tonight, I embraced the wide world of technology. I used my click-y and shared many of the photos I’ve collected in my research — it worked! One guy told me it wasn’t something he’d usually be interested in, but I made it real interesting. It was so thrilling to bring social history to so many who embrace only the military, tactical side — and I tried to point out how artificial the division was between social and military actually is — the reunions do that. In the reunions, one finds the military faced with its place in a changing society, how those moments are interpreted defines the social climate of the era.
Sorry I’m rambling — I had started this post as a confession of how I create playlists for the different eras of history I’m studying — which is truly geeky. I’ve done it since I was a kid. When I was fascinated with the Napoleonic era — I begged my piano teacher for Beethoven, Mozart, and English and French folk songs. Then there was the F Scott Fitzgerald era — lots of Joplin and torch songs. Either before or after that was the wild west — my Dad found a willing accompaniest to all of the old cowboy songs that he liked to play on the guitar. Now as I’m writing about the reunion of 1938, I’ve got old swing, plus I found a list of the top songs from 1938 — I have several of them, but I’m debating downloading the rest, no matter how esoteric. How do you get “in the mood?”
I’m still all fizzy from tonight… hope you are having a wonderful evening!
Take care,
Aly
History Thru the Looking Glass 