Aram Goudsouzian is the chair of the Department of History at the University of Memphis. He is the author of "Down to the Crossroads: Civil Rights, Black Power, and the Meredith March Against Fear," and the editor, with Charles McKinney of "An Unseen Light: Black Struggles for Freedom in Memphis, Tennessee."
There are 6 articles by Aram Goudsouzian :
The presidential campaign of 1968 was a last hurrah for the “Old Politics,” in which political machines and party leaders determined the major nominees. It also highlighted a “New Politics,” in which candidates took their cases to the people, through party primaries and modern technology.
Memphis sports fans are enraged about the enforcement of amateurism on the immensely talented basketball center James Wiseman, arguing that the NCAA’s execution is arbitrary and biased. In fact, amateurism, by its very nature, is arbitrary and biased.
Critics point out that these tragedies occurred outside of Memphis. They also complain that activists should focus on issues such as joblessness, educational deficits and crime. But in times of crisis, public protest is essential.
While African Americans in Memphis lent refuge and support to Meredith — and the city’s authorities generally decried the violent resistance in Oxford — many shared the twisted resentments of their southern neighbors.
Gene Bartow’s Tigers showcased a model of Black achievement and interracial harmony. If they make another NCAA Tournament run, we will again hear about how Memphians unite around basketball.
“To study history, then, is not to regurgitate a timeline of events, but to engage in a dynamic process of interpretation, with stakes for how we define ourselves.”
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