Judy Ortiz

ENN 195

Museum Assignment

 

 

My impression as soon as I saw the exposition was “How amazing is this exposition”. The history was condensing into small fragments of objects and pictures in from my eyes. I saw many pictures of soldiers and President Lincoln. In the first ten minutes everything was new and amazing for me, but when I started to understand deeply the complexity of the war I felt a rush of emotions that clouded my objectivity. I could not put aside my feelings and be just critical. It was impossible for me, I figure out myself in different positions. The first one was the photographers.  I imagined Mathew B. Brady and Alexander Gardner feelings, how they could be just spectators? I imagine myself taking pictures in those situations, and I felt powerless for those who were living their homes and giving their lives.

The second position and the most significantly for me was African American Soldiers. I felt mad and sad at the same time when I saw. What Do I Want, John Henry? 1862 Alexander Gardner. . How they could be part of the war and be different from the white soldiers? The most shocking impression for me was the “difference” how black soldiers were different from white soldiers and how both could be fighting for the same country? I imagined myself as a black soldier. I could not believe why the skin color was the barrier between common sense of fellowship and solidarity in a war. Why if white and black were part of the same country and were died in the same war. Why we were different? Why black soldiers did not have boots as white soldiers, if both were in the same camp? Why black soldiers had to be servants, cooks, and guides? I had many questions in my head that made me felt helpless. Why if President Lincoln against slavery, black soldiers were segregated in the camps? Why if they wanted to offer their services in the Army, they were called “Contraband”? At that point I did not want to see more about the exposition, but something changed my mind. I saw a photo called Mathew, Frederick and Alice. “The children of the Battlefield” 1863. And this photo changed my perception about white solders. I saw them as a victims too. They segregated black soldiers, but they were suffered in the same war. They left wives and children that were waiting for them.  Those children like thousands were suffering for their fathers. My opposition was about that soldier misery, he died and the only identification that he had was the ambrotype of his children. My point of view at that moment was more objective. I did not want to judge them, who am I? I did not live in those days. When I saw those children, I understand that no matter the skin color both white and black soldiers were dying. Also I saw how slavery in 1863 was not only a skin color problem. I understand that white children were slaves too. Slave Children from New Orleans 1863. That photo was a visual proof that not only black children were slaves.

In conclusion, my visit to the museum was a deeply understanding of human history. In my case the visit was not an academic class, it was a realistic understanding of history and how each of those lives built the world where I am living. Were they right or wrong? I do not care because I am learning from them. I am learning that I have to feel grateful for the medical advances because part of them died due to lack of medical technology, I feel grateful because I am leaving in a country where segregation is over in a certain way, and I can study and work in this country do not matter that I am an immigrant. Today I can say that I have rights because years before many African Americans, immigrants and White Americans fought for me and for you.