Down Along with That Devil's Bones: A Reckoning with Monuments, Memory, and the Legacy of White Supremacy by Connor Towne O'NeillMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
The book is focused on Nathan Bedford Forrest – the monuments displaying his image, and his biography: founding grand wizard of the Klan, a confederate soldier, who quickly ran through the ranks from private to lieutenant general, a profiteer from slave trading. Modern times explains the history of the monuments after him, how they came to be, and torn down, some raised again. To many in the area Forrest is a hero, a white supremacist. The park named after him, streets, so many places are named after him. Also, why his name should not be remembered so well, and what it means to the people who are of color.
The book shows by this how racism is steeped into everyday life, particularly in the south, by this example of someone still strongly revered, yet justly being removed from memorials. A well written investigative book.
Thanks to Algonquin Books and NetGalley for an uncorrected electronic advance review copy of this book.
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