Bryan S. Bush

My Dear Fellow Readers:

I just got back from the Frazier International History Museum and checked out their new exhibit on the Civil War entitled: Liberty on the Border. The display was actually developed several years ago by the Cincinatti History Complex. The original display had artifacts from the Ohio Historical Society, the Kentucky Historical Society Museum, the Filson Club Historical Society and the Museum of the Confederacy. The new display is very light on historical artifacts, which I offered to the help the museum with the artifacts several months ago, but was turned down. The display does a excellent job covering the pre-war years and the problem both Ohio and Kentucky faced with the issue of slavery, emancipators, and abolitionists in Kentucky and Ohio. The display also covers the war years, the aftermath, and the legacy of the Civil War.  According to the brochure, the display covers three major areas-Liberty Denied, Liberty’s Trial: The War Years and Liberty’s Legacy. There are many hands on exhibits, including a debate as to whether a fellow Kentuckian should join Union General Lovell Rousseau’s Union 5th Ky or join the Kentucky Confederates, Lincoln’s election results, Lincoln’s precarious position on how to handle Kentucky in 1860, Camp Nelson, and songs of the era. Other subjects included General Stephen Gano Burbridge and his order Number 59, which is near and dear to my heart, how Hollywood has covered the war, such as Birth of A Nation, Gone with the Wind, Roots, and Glory. The exhibit also covers GAR and UCV, problems with the 13th and 15th Amendment, and many other subjects, related to racism and the romanticism of the war. This is a well covered display and MUST be seen by any lover of the Civil War and Reconstruction, but I might add that NONE of my books are for sale, including Lincoln and the Speeds, and Butcher Burbridge, which is appalling considering Burbridge is directly covered in the display!  But don’t let my spilled milk get in the way of seeing this display. I might add that the attendance was very light and I was only the only Civil War soldier present in full uniform. There were no historical presenters for the night. Tony Dingman, of the Frazier museum, does an excellent Colonel Robert Gould Shaw, but he was not present. They did have one performer and he was very good, but I felt sorry for him considering he had to sing for almost two hours. There were no programs for this event as in past events. I missed the historical presenters, bring them back for these events.