According to this news story, Publishers Weekly NewSouth Books will be censoring their upcoming edition of Mark Twain’s novel Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by removing all instances of the N-word and replace it with “slave.” According to this search result, that would be 90 times the N-word would be replaced. Is this whitewashing history? I think so, as literature it needs to be regarded as an historical document as well and understood within the proper context. Removing what is today an offensive word removes some of the historical and literary importance of the document.
-
-
Blogs I like
- US History Site Blog
- American Founding
- American Revolution Blog
- American Thinker
- Army of Tennessee
- Chicago History Journal
- Civil War Top 100!
- Counterterroism Blog
- Draw the Sword
- Drudge Report
- Everything is History
- Founding Bloggers
- Freedom Writing
- Historic battlefields
- Historical Society blog
- History Is Elementary
- History Makes Time Travel Possible
- Publius
- QuickAid Airport and Airlines Directory
- Retirement Blog
- Retirement Information
- Saber Point
- Thomas Jefferson
- Travel and History
- US History
- What Would the Founders Think
- Wig-Wags
Civil War Blogs
- A Lincoln Blog
- Arkansas in the Civil War
- Bull Runnings
- Cenantua’s Blog
- Civil War Bookshelf
- Civil War et. al
- Civil War History
- Civil War Librarian
- Civil War Women
- Civil Warriors
- Crossed Sabers
- CW Books and Authors
- Hoofbeats & Cold Steel
- Old Virginia Blog
- Rantings of a CW Historian
- Renegade South
- The Trans-Mississippian
- TOCWOC
- Travel and History
- US History
- Wig-Wags
History Blogs
Resources
- American Civil War Homepage
- American Civil War Maps
- Best of History Websites
- Bibliography for Civil War Arkansas
- Black Soldiers in the Civil War
- Churchill Centre
- Civil War Book Review
- Civil War Generals
- Civil War Interactive
- Civil War Magazine Articles
- Civil War Message Board
- Collected Works of Lincoln
- Current History
- Digital History
- eHistory
- eHistory: Civil War
- Everything is History
- Founder’s Constitution
- Generals of the Civil War
- Gettysburg Discussion Group
- Historic NY Times
- History News Network
- History Nexus
- How to Read a Civil War Battlefield
- Jefferson Library
- Library of Congress Civil War Regimental Histories
- Library of Congress Online Catelog
- LOC: Civil War Resources
- Military History Links
- Old Magazine Articles
- Perseus Collection: 19th-Century American
- QuickAid Airport and Airlines Directory
- Research in Military Records: Civil War
- Retirement Blog
- Retirement Information
- Society for Military History
- Teachertube.com
- The History Guide
- Travel and History
- U.S. Army Professional Writing Collection
- U.S. History & Government Lesson Plans
- US History
- War of Rebellion: Official Records
Archives
What concerns me most is that it won’t end there. I am afraid they will continue to change the words of other novels. Moreover, censoring the word may make it even more powerful. Wouldn’t it be much better to explain the word to children and show them that its usage is inappropriate today?
I totally agree Lorne that it offers parents and educators a “teachable” moment! Thanks for commenting! Chris
As an elementary educator, I agree…. Here’s to taking advantage of real life teachable moments! http://tuesday2.wordpress.com/2011/01/09/girlfriends-and-good-books/