Synopsis

Harpers Ferry National Historical Park is most widely known today for the attempted slave revolt led by John Brown in 1859, the nucleus for the interpretation of the current national park. Here, Moyer and Shackel tell the behind-the-scenes story of how this event was chosen and preserved for commemoration, providing lessons for federal, state, local and non-profit organizations who continually struggle over the dilemma about which past to present to the public. Professional and non-professional audiences alike will benefit from their important insights into how federal agencies interpret the past, and in turn shape public memory.

April 2008 - H-Net: Humanities and Social Science Reviews Online

A lovingly told story....The book is useful because it tells several neglected stories....A fine study.

Biography

Teresa S. Moyer is a research assistant in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Maryland at College Park, where she received her MAA in 2002. She is currently a PhD candidate in American studies. Paul A. Shackel is professor of anthropology at the University of Maryland at College Park and director of the Center for Heritage Resource Studies. Previously, he was employed as an archaeologist at Harpers Ferry National Historical Park.