Memory Wars

"Through its use of a wide range of sources and approaches, Memory Wars provides an excellent study of how divergent and complex forces have shaped public perception, memory, and the commemoration of a major historical event." —Matthew C. Ward, Journal of American History "Memory Wars is especially relevant to public historians, museum professionals, and others who study, create, and dismantle inaccurate narratives consumed by the public at interpretive sites. This book is an important and timely contribution to the interpretation of American history."—Lieutenant Colonel Paul Fardink, USA-Ret., On Point: Journal of Army History"As the country moves toward the 250th anniversary of the revolution, Memory Wars provides not only a case study of contemporary ambiguity over the revolution's legacies but a clear benchmark for how and why we should remember the nation's founding era."—Matthew Dziennik, H-War "Beginning with the question of how settlers dealt with the knowledge that their presence on particular lands resulted from others' dispossession, Smith examines an array of diverse, often overlooked primary sources and places them into conversation with theoretical studies on memory work and historical consciousness. The result is a much-needed intervention in early American studies." —J. W. Parmenter, Choice "Smith uncovers some important distinctions to the quality of marker texts, the organizations that posted them, and the celebrations taking place around them. . . . The result is a remarkable work that combines past and present, correcting the errors found on markers and relating the author's personal experiences in digging out long-buried facts."—Abraham Hoffman, Roundup Magazine"A. Lynn Smith demonstrates the power of combining history and ethnography in the study of historical consciousness. At once a history of commemoration and an ethnography of remembrance, Memory Wars illuminates long, tangled histories of both settler and Native understandings of events at the heart of the American origin story." —Geoffrey M. White, author of Memorializing Pearl Harbor: Unfinished Histories and the Work of Remembrance “Important and timely. Memory Wars is relevant to public historians, museum professionals, and others who study, create, and dismantle narratives consumed by the public at interpretive sites. It makes a contribution to early American history by challenging the interpretations of the Sullivan Expedition and its commemoration and the erasure of intra-settler conflicts. Finally, the research makes a significant contribution to Native American history.” —Dawn G. Marsh, author of A Lenape among the Quakers: The Life of Hannah Freeman “An excellent case study of historical memory formation that is relevant to contemporary debates over commemorations and the legacy of settler colonialism grounded in especially fascinating fieldwork. This is a very engaging read.” —Andrew Newman, author of On Records: Delaware Indians, Colonists, and the Media of History and Memory