Memphis, the biggest city in Tennessee, epitomises the old and new South of the United States. Once a major slave-trading centre, in the 1960s it was the focus of civil rights action. Dr Martin Luther King was assassinated there, and the National Civil Rights Museum in the city is his memorial. It has always been, and still is, a major musical centre for blues, country, jazz … [Read more...] about Memphis: City of two kings
Cultural history
Civil rights in the United States: using the law to get around the law
In the southern states of the US the economic importance of slavery and the accompanying belief in the inherent superiority of the white race led to a system of racial segregation that was sanctified by law and practice. Though frequently challenged it became very difficult to change. This is the story consistently told by the leading civil rights museums I visited in … [Read more...] about Civil rights in the United States: using the law to get around the law
A journey into the Far North
Touring around the north of Northland is a step back into our earliest history, both European and Māori. It is the story of how the races met and interacted, of colonial days, development, hardship, conflict and strife – all the factors that shape the north as we find it today. Our group travelled by road from Auckland to Whangarei, but the trip really began in Paihia and … [Read more...] about A journey into the Far North
Take a train back into history
The TranzAlpine train trip between Christchurch and Greymouth is well known for its spectacular scenery but it’s also a wonderful journey into the colonial history of Canterbury and the West Coast. The onboard commentary focuses on the achievements, difficulties and failures of building the railway itself, hailed as a marvellous feat of engineering, particularly for its … [Read more...] about Take a train back into history
New Orleans: Good times and better times
New Orleans is one of those places that everyone wants to go to, based largely on its reputation as a fun, party town with jazz, blues, southern food, and a laidback vibe associated with its tagline of The Big Easy. Just about everything you have heard about New Orleans is, or has been, true at some point. First-time visitors should do all the things that first time visitors … [Read more...] about New Orleans: Good times and better times
Old slave law still relevant in Louisiana tourist trade
"Experience Louisiana’s deep and colourful history told through the area's historical architecture and rich countryside," proudly proclaims the brochure on Louisiana's Historic Plantation Homes. It describes some of the 140 plantations able to be visited along the Mississippi River running from Natchez south to New Orleans. Many of the plantations' houses and gardens are … [Read more...] about Old slave law still relevant in Louisiana tourist trade
Whitney Plantation: Telling the slavery story
Whitney Plantation opened in December 2014 amid much controversy about its depiction of slave history. Certainly, its factual records are chilling to the soul and their presentation is stark, beginning with the lanyard presented to each visitor on admission. Each one has a picture of a carving of a slave, that person’s name and a brief comment from that person. I had … [Read more...] about Whitney Plantation: Telling the slavery story