UA Honors College, Stillman College to Host History Conference

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The University of Alabama Honors College and Stillman College will host a Southern history conference on Wednesday, Nov.17, on the Stillman College campus.

The event, “Heritage or Hate?” will begin at 6 p.m. in the Warner Presentation Room in Stillman College’s Wynn Center.  A formal reception featuring Stillman College’s jazz ensemble will follow.

Conference participants will discuss the historical background of the Confederate battle flag and its current social implications. The event features a presentation exploring the controversy surrounding the flag, including historical information from experts and a discussion of more recent disputes.

The event is a collaboration of the Honors College class “Heroes of Faith and Social Justice” and Stillman’s Harte Honors Program. Last year, the UA’s Honors College presented “Pictures of the South,” a panel discussion on race relations in Tuscaloosa and the South.

Speakers include Dr. Louise Cary of UA’s Honors College and Dr. Linda Beito of Stillman College. Stillman student Alicia Sanders will serve as the moderator. Following the debate, the floor will open for questions from the audience. Students from both UA and Stillman will have the opportunity to voice their opinions about the flag. A faculty debate will follow the presentation.

“I am convinced that historical wounds can be healed and inherited hatred can be overcome,” said Dr. Thomas Herwig, an Honors College professor. “The key tool is truth. The acceptance of painful facts liberates us from the vicious cycle of desperate self-defense on the side of the actors. And at the same time, truth rehabilitates the victims of a historical constellation by re-establishing their dignity. Our event is intended to serve these two goals with the instruments of encounter and cooperation.”