As the five-year celebration of our Nation’s Second Founding continues, we here at CAC look forward to highlighting the writings of those working to keep our Nation’s post-Civil War history a part of the public dialogue.

Last week, the New York Times dedicated its Room for Debate feature to the question, “How should Americans remember Reconstruction?”

In addition to the estimable Eric Foner, whose work we have previously lauded, the Times assembled a great range of voices for this panel.  Prof. Gregory Downs and Prof. Kate Masur, referring to the period as “the United States’ second founding,” discussed their upcoming partnership with the National Parks Service, while Slate’s Jamelle Bouie revisited episodes of violent voter suppression and murder from the era in a call for a restored Voting Rights Act. The entire feature of eight debaters is well worth the read.

It’s great to see “the newspaper of record” giving this era the continued attention it deserves.

Visit SecondFounding.org to learn more about ongoing celebrations and find further interesting summer reading on this critical period of our Nation’s history.