Thread by @ZinnEdProject

"Wicked . . . wretched . . . evil . . . hard . . . malignant.

Thaddeus Stevens has been called all these names, and more.

He can lay claim to being one of the best-hated men in our past."

-- Milton Meltzer in 1967 book for young people on the Reconstruction era legislator.

"The harsh judgments his enemies made in his lifetime still echo in the textbooks students use now.

What did Thaddeus Stevens do to deserve this?

He fought to establish free public schools.

He fought for passage of the 13th, 14th, & 15th amendments to the Constitution. . ."

"Why is Robert E. Lee — who led armies in a bloody war to preserve slavery — called a saint [and honored with countless statues, school names, street names], while Thaddeus Stevens — who warred against slavery — is called a devil?" #TeachReconstruction
zinnedproject.org/news/tdih/thad…

"We live in a continuing crisis because the issue which dominated Stevens’ time was never settled. Much of his work was undone in generations that followed, but the principles & the constitutional amendments he fought for are the ground on which the freedom movement now stands."

We agree with what Milton Meltzer said in 🧵above in his 1967 book for young people about Thaddeus Stevens and, as our report on Reconstruction reveals, not only Stevens but the whole Reconstruction era get short shrift in most state standards. See ⬇️
teachreconstructionreport.org

We are pleased that the thousands of visitors each year to Gettysburg will soon be encouraged to learn about Stevens with the placement of a statue by the Thaddeus Stevens Society.

The statue will be dedicated on Saturday, April 2, in a public event. ⬇️
zinnedproject.org/news/thaddeus-…