John Hopkins

[BIGUN 1,306]

Quote

Johns Hopkins is described as being an "abolitionist before the word was even invented", having been represented as such both prior to the Civil War period, as well as during the Civil War and Reconstruction Era.^[8][14][15] There are several accounts that describe the abolitionist influence Hopkins was privy to as a 12-year-old participant in his parents' emancipation of their family's slaves in 1807.^[5] Prior to the Civil War, Johns Hopkins worked closely with two of America's most famous abolitionists, Myrtilla Miner^[16] and Henry Ward Beecher.^[16] During the Civil War, Johns Hopkins, being a staunch supporter of Lincoln and the Union, was instrumental in bringing fruition to Lincoln's emancipatory vision.^[17]

^{https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johns_Hopkins}

https://www.npr.org/2020/12/10/944906903/johns-hopkins-long-believed-an-abolitionist-actually-owned-slaves-university-say

What say you? Change the name? Other?

[kallend 2,026]

7 minutes ago, BIGUN said:

https://www.npr.org/2020/12/10/944906903/johns-hopkins-long-believed-an-abolitionist-actually-owned-slaves-university-say

What say you? Change the name? Other?

Lots of historical figures who, overall, benefitted the country and the world had ideas and behaved in ways that are at variance with 21st Century morality.  We should judge them in the context of their own times, not ours.  ON BALANCE, did they make the world a better place?

[gowlerk 2,190]

13 minutes ago, BIGUN said:

What say you? Change the name? Other?

I say no, after reading the story. 

[kallend 2,026]

1 hour ago, gowlerk said:

I say no, after reading the story. 

Agreed.  If Hopkins is to be excoriated for 5 slaves, what should be done about Washington and Jefferson?  Rename the US and Missouri capitals?

Jefferson  was fucking one of his female slaves and  in his lifetime he owned more than 600 slaves. At any one time about 100 slaves lived on his planatation; the highest slave population, in 1817, was 140.  This was at the same time he was writing:
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness

[JerryBaumchen 1,362]

2 hours ago, kallend said:

Lots of historical figures who, overall, benefitted the country and the world had ideas and behaved in ways that are at variance with 21st Century morality.  We should judge them in the context of their own times, not ours.  ON BALANCE, did they make the world a better place?

Hi John

Re:  'We should judge them in the context of their own times, not ours.'

This.

Jerry Baumchen

[Erroll 80]

9 hours ago, JerryBaumchen said:

We should judge them in the context of their own times, not ours.

While I agree wholeheartedly, I am curious as to how you would apply that statement to the Confederate generals and the naming of many US military installations?

[kallend 2,026]

4 hours ago, Erroll said:

While I agree wholeheartedly, I am curious as to how you would apply that statement to the Confederate generals and the naming of many US military installations?

Treason was treason in the 19th Century.

[jakee 1,489]

8 hours ago, Erroll said:

While I agree wholeheartedly, I am curious as to how you would apply that statement to the Confederate generals and the naming of many US military installations?

Easy. By the standards of the time there were already compelling arguments that had convinced the nation as a whole that slavery was wrong. Confederate generals made the active decision to join a rebellion against the nation in order to preserve slavery despite having access to all of the prevailing thought that showed slavery to be evil.

 

Hopkins on the other hand (if the above info is correct) had slaves as a result of living in his time but made the active decision to oppose the institution of slavery and call for its abolition. 

[timski 80]

20 hours ago, BIGUN said:

https://www.npr.org/2020/12/10/944906903/johns-hopkins-long-believed-an-abolitionist-actually-owned-slaves-university-say

What say you? Change the name? Other?

Too much time on our hands... THIS is the best we can come up with to talk about??? 

Dare I list worldly topics that could use some creative thinking??? 

Sorry, I'll step down off the soap box.  I find it troubling to see "us" moving forwards in reverse... Leave the dead dogs alone. 

(The story apparently tells the tale of a man with morals caught up in the times)  

[BIGUN 1,306]

10 minutes ago, jakee said:

Hopkins on the other hand (if the above info is correct) had slaves as a result of living in his time but made the active decision to oppose the institution of slavery and call for its abolition. 

The university's goal is to "change our narrative, not our name." 

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/education/2020/12/09/johns-hopkins-university-person-slavery-name-change/3866364001/

[BIGUN 1,306]

5 minutes ago, timski said:

Dare I list worldly topics that could use some creative thinking??? 

Sure - let's do that.

Here's the entire list unless you have something new. 

 

[timski 80]

1 hour ago, BIGUN said:

Sure - let's do that.

Here's the entire list unless you have something new. 

 

LOL, I'm guilty of living in "my bubble", and I'll do my part to add to "the box" aka SC! 

[timski 80]

1025 topics and counting. FYI