Note: YesÂterÂday HarÂry BelaÂfonte, the civÂil rights activist, singer and actor, passed away at age 96. In his memÂoÂry, we’re bringÂing back a post from our archive, one that feaÂtures BelaÂfonte and othÂer legÂends disÂcussing the March on WashÂingÂton, back in August, 1963. The film above is now made availÂable by the US NationÂal Archives.
On the day of the hisÂtoric “March on WashÂingÂton for Jobs and FreeÂdom” (August 28, 1963), known today as The Great March on WashÂingÂton, CBS aired a 30-minute roundÂtable disÂcusÂsion feaÂturÂing HarÂry BelaÂfonte, James BaldÂwin, MarÂlon BranÂdo, CharlÂton HesÂton, Joseph L. Mankiewicz and SidÂney PoitiÂer.
The whole segÂment is fasÂciÂnatÂing, even and perÂhaps espeÂcialÂly because the speakÂers purÂsue their someÂtimes diverÂgent agenÂdas (HesÂton speaks optiÂmistiÂcalÂly about peaceÂful disÂsent, BranÂdo hopes the CivÂil Rights moveÂment may lead to repaÂraÂtions for Native AmerÂiÂcans, while BelaÂfonte warns omiÂnousÂly that the UnitÂed States has now reached a “point of no return”). But it may be Joseph Mankiewicz, the sharp-witÂted writer/director of All About Eve, who proÂvides one of the disÂcusÂsion’s pithiÂest lines: “FreeÂdom, true freeÂdom,” he says, “is not givÂen by govÂernÂments; it is takÂen by the peoÂple.”
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If you went to the docÂtor in late medieval Europe hopÂing to get a health comÂplaint checked out, you could be sure of one thing: you’d have to hand over a urine samÂple. Though it dates back at least as far as the fourth milÂlenÂniÂum BC, the pracÂtice of uroscopy, as it’s called, seems to have been regardÂed as a near-uniÂverÂsal diagÂnosÂtic tool by the thirÂteenth cenÂtuÂry. At Medievalists.net, you can read excerpts of the then-definÂiÂtive text On Urines, writÂten about that time by French royÂal physiÂcian Gilles de CorÂbeil.
When a skilled physiÂcian examÂines a patienÂt’s urine, de CorÂbeil explains, “health or illÂness, strength or debilÂiÂty, defiÂcienÂcy, excess, or balÂance, are deterÂmined with cerÂtainÂty.” Urine “darkÂened by a black cloudiÂness, and mudÂdied with sedÂiÂment, if proÂduced on a critÂiÂcal day of an illÂness, and accomÂpaÂnied by poor hearÂing and insomÂnia, porÂtends a flux of blood from the nose”; dependÂing on othÂer facÂtors, “the patient will die or recovÂer.”
Urine that looks livid near the surÂface could indiÂcate a variÂety of conÂdiÂtions: “a mild form of hemitriÂteus fever; falling sickÂness; ascites; synÂochal fever; the rupÂture of a vein; catarrh, stranÂgury; an ailÂment of the womb; a flux; a defect of the lungs; pain in the joints; conÂsumpÂtive phithiÂsis; the extincÂtion of natÂurÂal heat.”
White urine could be a sigÂnal of everyÂthing from dropÂsy to lipothymia to hemÂorÂrhoids; wine-colÂored urine “means danÂger to health when it accomÂpaÂnies a conÂtinÂued fever; it is less to be feared if there is no fever.”
We may feel temptÂed, 800 years latÂer, to disÂcard all of this as pre-sciÂenÂtifÂic nonÂsense. But comÂpared with othÂer diagÂnosÂtic methÂods in the MidÂdle Ages, uroscopy had a decent track record. “Urine was a parÂticÂuÂlarÂly useÂful tool for diagÂnosÂing lepÂrosy,” writes the PubÂlic Domain Review’s KatherÂine HarÂvey, “because the immeÂdiÂate physÂiÂoÂlogÂiÂcal cause was thought to be a malÂfuncÂtionÂing livÂer — an organ which was cenÂtral to the digesÂtive process, and thus any probÂlems would be visÂiÂble in the urine.” Indeed, “new forms of urine analyÂsis have develÂoped from these ancient traÂdiÂtions, and our present-day medÂical landÂscape is awash with urine samÂples.”
That’s cerÂtainÂly a vivid image, and so are the “urine wheels” that accomÂpaÂny HarÂvey’s piece: elabÂoÂrate illusÂtraÂtions designed to help docÂtors idenÂtiÂfy the parÂticÂuÂlar hue of a givÂen samÂple, each one colÂored with the best pigÂmenÂtaÂtion techÂniques of the time. But “there was no stanÂdardÂizaÂtion,” notes Atlas ObscuÂra’s Sarah Laskow, “and while some book pubÂlishÂers creÂatÂed detailed colÂorÂing instrucÂtions, the artiÂsans who did the work didn’t always conÂform to those specÂiÂfiÂcaÂtions.” As much presÂtige as these volÂumes sureÂly exudÂed on the bookÂshelf, it was as true then as it is now that you become a good docÂtor not by readÂing manÂuÂals, but by getÂting your hands dirty.
Based in Seoul, ColÂin Marshall writes and broadÂcasts on cities, lanÂguage, and culÂture. His projects include the SubÂstack newsletÂterBooks on Cities, the book The StateÂless City: a Walk through 21st-CenÂtuÂry Los AngeÂles and the video series The City in CinÂeÂma. FolÂlow him on TwitÂter at @colinmarshall or on FaceÂbook.
The casÂes for travÂelÂing back in time and livÂing in a past era are many and varÂied, but the case against doing so is always the same: denÂtistry. In every chapÂter of human hisÂtoÂry before this one, so we’re often told, everyÂone lived in at least a low-levÂel state of agony inflictÂed by tooth probÂlems, to say nothÂing of the unimagÂinÂable unsightÂliÂness of their smiles. But as jusÂtiÂfied as we probÂaÂbly are in laughÂing at the pearly whites on disÂplay in HolÂlyÂwood periÂod pieces, the hisÂtorÂiÂcal record conÂflicts with our belief that the furÂther you go into the past, the worst everyÂone’s teeth: ancient Romans, as explained in the Told In Stone video above, actuÂalÂly had betÂter teeth than modÂern EuroÂpeans.
That’s hardÂly a high bar to clear, a modÂern AmerÂiÂcan may joke. But then, the UnitÂed States today takes denÂtal care to an almost obsesÂsive levÂel, whereÂas the citÂiÂzens of the Roman Empire had pracÂtiÂcalÂly nothÂing to work with by comÂparÂiÂson. “The stanÂdard, and often sole impleÂment employed to clean teeth was a toothÂpick,” says Told in Stone creÂator GarÂrett Ryan. These “were paired with tooth powÂders, which were rubbed over the teeth and gums with an enthuÂsiÂasÂtic finÂger.” IngreÂdiÂents includÂed “pumice, pulÂverÂized bone, powÂdered glass, and crushed shell,” or someÂtimes “sheepÂ’s sweat and the ash of a wolf’s head.” — all a far cry from anyÂthing offered on the toothÂpaste aisle today.
“Bad breath was a chronÂic conÂdiÂtion in the clasÂsiÂcal world,” and “toothache seems to have been almost equalÂly prevaÂlent.” The treatÂment most comÂmonÂly pracÂticed by Roman denÂtists was extracÂtion, perÂformed withÂout anesÂthetÂic. Yet only about a third of the preÂserved skeleÂtons recovÂered from the ruins of PomÂpeii and HerÂcuÂlaÂneum were missÂing teeth, “and relÂaÂtiveÂly few had cavÂiÂties.” Though many sociÂeties today take denÂtal conÂdiÂtion as a markÂer of class, in ancient Rome the relaÂtionÂship was, to a cerÂtain extent, reversed: “A young girl wearÂing expenÂsive jewÂelÂry, for examÂple, already had five cavÂiÂties, probÂaÂbly because her famÂiÂly could afford to give her plenÂty of snacks smothÂered in expenÂsive and sugÂary honÂey.”
Indeed, “in the absence of processed sugÂar, oral bacÂteÂria were less aggresÂsive than they are today.” Romans got cavÂiÂties, but “the perÂvaÂsive blackÂened teeth and holÂlow cheeks of earÂly modÂern Europe,” an era at the unforÂtuÂnate interÂsecÂtion of relÂaÂtiveÂly plenÂtiÂful sugÂar and relÂaÂtiveÂly primÂiÂtive denÂtistry, “were nearÂly as disÂtant from the Roman expeÂriÂence as they are from ours.” Some of us here in the sugÂar-satÂuÂratÂed twenÂty-first cenÂtuÂry, with its conÂstant purÂsuit of denÂtal perÂfecÂtion, may now be conÂsidÂerÂing the potenÂtial benÂeÂfits of shiftÂing to an ancient Roman diet — withÂout, of course, all those tiny, enamÂel-abradÂing stones that had a way of endÂing up in ancient Roman bread.
Based in Seoul, ColÂin Marshall writes and broadÂcasts on cities, lanÂguage, and culÂture. His projects include the SubÂstack newsletÂterBooks on Cities, the book The StateÂless City: a Walk through 21st-CenÂtuÂry Los AngeÂles and the video series The City in CinÂeÂma. FolÂlow him on TwitÂter at @colinmarshall or on FaceÂbook.
SpoilÂer alert: The death of Logan Roy the weekÂend before last marked the end of an era. Or at the very least, it was notable for occaÂsionÂing, in the Los AngeÂles Times, perÂhaps the first newsÂpaÂper obitÂuÂary of a ficÂtionÂal charÂacÂter. Roy was the mogul-patriÂarch at the cenÂter of the hit black comÂeÂdy-draÂma SucÂcesÂsion, which is now approachÂing the end of its fourth and final seaÂson on HBO. BriÂan Cox’s perÂforÂmance in that role had much to do with the sucÂcess of SucÂcesÂsion, so to speak, not least because he clearÂly underÂstood that, for all its of-the-moment refÂerÂences, the series’ narÂraÂtive is deeply rootÂed in conÂcepts like dynasty and empire, which themÂselves extend way back to antiqÂuiÂty.
AntiqÂuiÂty hapÂpens to be the subÂject of two videos Cox narÂratÂed, just before the preÂmiere of SucÂcesÂsion, for the Youtube chanÂnel ArzaÂmas. “Ancient Greece in 18 MinÂutes” and “Ancient Rome in 20 MinÂutes” delivÂer just what their titles promise, brief but clear and well-informed primers on the clasÂsiÂcal civÂiÂlizaÂtions that modÂern WestÂernÂers have long thought of as the preÂcurÂsors to their own.
Of course, there were no sinÂgle, conÂtinÂuÂous politÂiÂcal or geoÂgraphÂiÂcal entiÂties called “Ancient Greece” and “Ancient Rome”; rather, those names refer to large regions of the world in which city-states rise and fell — as their very nature and relaÂtionÂships with one anothÂer changed draÂmatÂiÂcalÂly — over a periÂod of cenÂturies upon cenÂturies.
To these acclaimed videos Cox brings his sigÂnaÂture irrevÂerÂence-laced gravÂiÂtas. At the very end of “Ancient Greece in 18 MinÂutes,” he tells of the ByzanÂtine Empire, “which extendÂed the life of Greek culÂture anothÂer thouÂsand years — leavÂing us the weird RussÂian alphaÂbet, for instance.” This line is funÂnier if you know that ArzaÂmas is a RussÂian chanÂnel that has also put up videos on RussÂian hisÂtoÂry and culÂture: the one on the counÂtry’s twenÂtiÂeth-cenÂtuÂry art just above, for instance, which Cox also narÂrates. RusÂsia has inherÂitÂed eleÂments of the ancient Greek and Roman civÂiÂlizaÂtions, as have othÂer disÂtant lands like the UnitÂed States of AmerÂiÂca. And wherÂevÂer we live, we can laugh at Cox’s obserÂvaÂtion that “if an ancient Greek were to see modÂern democÂraÂcy, he would say just one word: oliÂgarchy” — a form of rule Logan Roy knew all about.
Based in Seoul, ColÂin Marshall writes and broadÂcasts on cities, lanÂguage, and culÂture. His projects include the SubÂstack newsletÂterBooks on Cities, the book The StateÂless City: a Walk through 21st-CenÂtuÂry Los AngeÂles and the video series The City in CinÂeÂma. FolÂlow him on TwitÂter at @colinmarshall or on FaceÂbook.
We don’t hear the phrase “very rich hours” as much as we used to, back when it was occaÂsionÂalÂly employed in the headÂlines of magÂaÂzine artiÂcles or the titles of novÂels. Today, it’s much to be doubtÂed whether even one in a hunÂdred thouÂsand of us could begin to idenÂtiÂfy its refÂerÂent — or at least it was much to be doubtÂed until an elabÂoÂrate New York Times online feaÂture appeared just last week. WritÂten by art critÂic Jason FaraÂgo, “SearchÂing for Lost Time in the World’s Most BeauÂtiÂful CalÂenÂdar” takes a close look at the Très RichÂes Heures du Duc de Berry, a late-medieval illuÂmiÂnatÂed manÂuÂscript creÂatÂed (between 1412 and 1416) for the bibÂlioÂphilic John, Duke of Berry by a trio of FlemÂish artists known as the LimÂbourg brothÂers.
The word “hours” in the title refers not to units of time, exactÂly, but to the prayers that believÂers must speak at cerÂtain hours: this is a book of hours, a hugeÂly popÂuÂlar form of manÂuÂscript in the MidÂdle Ages. But comÂpared to most surÂvivÂing books of hours, Très RichÂes Heures du Duc de Berry is, well, very rich indeed.
FaraÂgo calls it “the finest surÂvivÂing manÂuÂscript of the fifÂteenth cenÂtuÂry, a monÂuÂment of InterÂnaÂtionÂal GothÂic book arts. RealÂly, the thing is just stuÂpeÂfyÂing. Its picÂtures comÂbine astoundÂing detail with exuÂberÂant, someÂtimes irraÂtional spaÂtial orgaÂniÂzaÂtion.” But “like every book of hours, it opens with a calÂenÂdar. And here, on its first 12 spreads — with one full-page illusÂtraÂtion per month — the LimÂbourgs did their most painstakÂing work.”
Here we have just five of the images from the calÂenÂdar at the head of the Très RichÂes Heures. You can see the rest at the site of the MetÂroÂpolÂiÂtan MuseÂum of Art, which offers its “intiÂmate NorthÂern vision of nature with ItalÂianate modes of figÂurÂal articÂuÂlaÂtion” in downÂloadÂable digÂiÂtal form. These detailed images conÂstiÂtute a winÂdow into not just medieval life (or at least an ideÂalÂized verÂsion thereÂof), but also the medieval relaÂtionÂship to time. “Time appears to be a cycle,” writes FaraÂgo. “It repeats year after year.” And “months rather than years were the meat of these cycles. SeaÂsons. HarÂvests. Feasts. ConÂstelÂlaÂtions.” All this “could be perÂceived with the sensÂes. In snowÂfall, in star signs. In the bright colÂors you wore in May, in the furs you wore in DecemÂber.”
On top of this palÂpaÂbly cycliÂcal expeÂriÂence of time, monotheÂisÂtic reliÂgions introÂduced the notion that “time proÂgressed onward,” and indeed “offered a one-way tickÂet to the end of days.” CoexÂistÂing in the medieval mind, these two conÂtrastÂing modes of perÂcepÂtion gave rise to the sort of calÂenÂdars creÂatÂed and used in that era. No finÂer examÂple exists than the Très RichÂes Heures, creÂatÂed as it was not long — at least in hisÂtorÂiÂcal time — before the approach of moderÂniÂty, with its ever more fineÂly dividÂed and rigÂorÂousÂly calÂiÂbratÂed chronoÂmetÂric regimes. Our hours are much more clearÂly demarÂcatÂed than the Duke of Berry’s; whether they’re richÂer is anothÂer quesÂtion entireÂly.
Based in Seoul, ColÂin Marshall writes and broadÂcasts on cities, lanÂguage, and culÂture. His projects include the SubÂstack newsletÂterBooks on Cities, the book The StateÂless City: a Walk through 21st-CenÂtuÂry Los AngeÂles and the video series The City in CinÂeÂma. FolÂlow him on TwitÂter at @colinmarshall or on FaceÂbook.
If you attendÂed a seder this month, you no doubt read aloud from the HagÂgadah, a Passover traÂdiÂtion in which everyÂone at the table takes turns recountÂing the stoÂry of ExoÂdus.
There’s no definÂiÂtive ediÂtion of the HagÂgadah. Every Passover host is free to choose the verÂsion of the familÂiar stoÂry they like best, to cut and paste from varÂiÂous retellings, or even take a crack at writÂing their own.
As David Zvi Kalman, pubÂlishÂer of the annuÂal, illusÂtratÂed AsuÂfa HagÂgadah told the New York Times, “The HagÂgadah in AmerÂiÂca is like Kit Kats in Japan. It’s a prodÂuct that accepts a wide variÂety of flaÂvors. It’s probÂaÂbly the most accesÂsiÂble JewÂish book on the marÂket.”
Though it bears the coats of arms of two promiÂnent famÂiÂlies, its proveÂnance is not definÂiÂtiveÂly known.
LeoÂra Bromberg of the UniÂverÂsiÂty of Toronto’s Thomas FishÂer Rare Book Library notes that it is “espeÂcialÂly strikÂing for its colÂorÂful illuÂmiÂnaÂtions of bibÂliÂcal and Passover ritÂuÂal scenes and its beauÂtiÂfulÂly hand-scribed Sephardic letÂterÂforms:”
As preÂcious as this HagÂgadah was, and still is, HagÂgadot are books that are meant to be used in fesÂtive and messy settings—sharing the table with food, wine, famÂiÂly and guests. The SaraÂjeÂvo HagÂgadah was no excepÂtion to this; its pages show eviÂdence that it was well used, with dooÂdles, food and red wine stains markÂing its pages.
Some brave soul took care to smugÂgle this essenÂtial volÂume out with them when 1492’s AlhamÂbra Decree expelled all Jews from Spain.
The manuscript’s travÂels thereÂafter are shroudÂed in mysÂtery.
It surÂvived the Roman InquiÂsiÂtion by virtue of its conÂtents. As per a 1609 note jotÂted on one of its pages, nothÂing thereÂin seemed to be aimed against the Church.
More handÂwritÂten notes place the book in the north of Italy in the 16th and 17th cenÂturies, though its new ownÂer is not menÂtioned by name.
It was briefly sent to VienÂna, where a govÂernÂment offiÂcial replaced its origÂiÂnal medieval bindÂing with cardÂboard covÂers, chopÂping its 142 bleached calfÂskin velÂlum down to 6.5” x 9” in order to fit them.
It had a narÂrow escape in 1942, when a high-rankÂing Nazi offiÂcial, Johann FortÂner, visÂitÂed the museÂum, intent on conÂfisÂcatÂing the priceÂless manÂuÂscript.
The chief librarÂiÂan, Dervis Korkut, a MusÂlim, secretÂed the HagÂgadah inside his clothÂing, reputÂedÂly tellingFortÂner that museÂum staff had turned it over to anothÂer GerÂman offiÂcer.
After that folkÂlore takes over. Korkut either stowed it under the floorÂboards of his home, buried it under a tree, gave it to an imam in a remote vilÂlage for safeÂkeepÂing, or hid it on a shelf in the museum’s library.
WhatÂevÂer the case, it reapÂpeared in the museÂum, safe and sound, in 1945.
The museÂum was ranÂsacked durÂing 1992’s Siege of SaraÂjeÂvo, but the thieves, ignoÂrant of the Haggadah’s worth, left it on the floor. It was removed to an underÂground bank vault, where it surÂvived untouched, even as the museÂum susÂtained heavy artillery damÂage.
The presÂiÂdent of Bosnia preÂsentÂed it to JewÂish comÂmuÂniÂty leadÂers durÂing a Seder three years latÂer.
ShortÂly thereÂafter, the head of Sarajevo’s JewÂish ComÂmuÂniÂty sought the UnitÂed Nations’ supÂport to restore the HagÂgadah, and house it in a suitÂably secure, cliÂmate-conÂtrolled setÂting.
A numÂber of facÂsimÂiÂles have been creÂatÂed, and the origÂiÂnal codex once again resides in the museÂum where it is stored under the preÂscribed conÂdiÂtions, and disÂplayed on rare speÂcial occaÂsions, as “physÂiÂcal proof of the openÂness of a sociÂety in which fear of the OthÂer has nevÂer been an incurÂable disÂease.”
UNESCO added it to its MemÂoÂry of the World RegÂisÂter in 2017, “praisÂing the courage of the peoÂple who, even in the darkÂest of times durÂing World War II, appreÂciÂatÂed its imporÂtance to JewÂish HerÂitage, as well as its embodÂiÂment of diverÂsiÂty and interÂculÂturÂal harÂmoÂny depictÂed in its illusÂtraÂtion:”
RegardÂless of their own reliÂgious beliefs, they risked their lives and did all in their powÂer to safeÂguard the HagÂgadah for future genÂerÂaÂtions. Its destrucÂtion would be a loss for humanÂiÂty. ProÂtectÂing it is a symÂbol of the valÂues which we hold dear.
For those interÂestÂed, the SaraÂjeÂvo HagÂgadah figÂures cenÂtralÂly in the bestÂselling 2008 novÂel PeoÂple of the Book, writÂten by the Pulitzer Prize-winÂning author GeralÂdine Brooks. You can read an New Times review here.
In 1955, the UnitÂed States was enterÂing the final stages of McCarthyÂism or the SecÂond Red Scare. DurÂing this low point in AmerÂiÂcan hisÂtoÂry, the US govÂernÂment looked high and low for ComÂmuÂnist spies. EnterÂtainÂers, eduÂcaÂtors, govÂernÂment employÂees and union memÂbers were often viewed with susÂpiÂcion, and many careers and lives were destroyed by the flimÂsiÂest of alleÂgaÂtions. ConÂgress, the FBI, and the US milÂiÂtary, they all fueled the 20th cenÂtuÂry verÂsion of the Salem Witch triÂals, partÂly by encourÂagÂing AmerÂiÂcans to look for ComÂmuÂnists in unsusÂpectÂing places.
In the short Armed Forces InforÂmaÂtion Film above, you can see the dynamÂic at work. Some ComÂmuÂnists were out in the open; howÂevÂer, othÂers “worked more silentÂly.” So how to find those hidÂden comÂmuÂnists?
Not to worÂry, the US milÂiÂtary had that covÂered. In 1955, the U.S. First Army HeadÂquarÂters preÂpared a manÂuÂal called How to Spot a ComÂmuÂnist. LatÂer pubÂlished in popÂuÂlar AmerÂiÂcan magÂaÂzines, the proÂpaÂganÂda piece warned readÂers, “there is no fool-proof sysÂtem in spotÂting a ComÂmuÂnist.” “U.S. ComÂmuÂnists come from all walks of life, proÂfess all faiths, and exerÂcise all trades and proÂfesÂsions. In addiÂtion, the ComÂmuÂnist ParÂty, USA, has made conÂcertÂed efforts to go underÂground for the purÂpose of infilÂtraÂtion.” And yet the pamÂphlet adds, letÂting readÂers breathe a sigh of relief, “there are, forÂtuÂnateÂly, indiÂcaÂtions that may give him away. These indiÂcaÂtions are often subÂtle but always present, for the ComÂmuÂnist, by reaÂson of his “faith” must act and talk along cerÂtain lines.” In short, you’ll know a ComÂmuÂnist not by how he walks, but how he talks. AskÂing citÂiÂzens to become litÂerÂary critÂics for the sake of nationÂal secuÂriÂty, the pubÂliÂcaÂtion told readÂers to watch out for the folÂlowÂing:
While a prefÂerÂence for long senÂtences is comÂmon to most ComÂmuÂnist writÂing, a disÂtinct vocabÂuÂlary proÂvides the more easÂiÂly recÂogÂnized feaÂture of the “ComÂmuÂnist LanÂguage.” Even a superÂfiÂcial readÂing of an artiÂcle writÂten by a ComÂmuÂnist or a conÂverÂsaÂtion with one will probÂaÂbly reveal the use of some of the folÂlowÂing expresÂsions: inteÂgraÂtive thinkÂing, vanÂguard, comÂrade, hooÂteÂnanÂny, chauÂvinÂism, book-burnÂing, synÂcretisÂtic faith, bourÂgeois-nationÂalÂism, jinÂgoÂism, coloÂnialÂism, hooliÂganÂism, rulÂing class, proÂgresÂsive, demÂaÂgogy, dialecÂtiÂcal, witch-hunt, reacÂtionary, exploitaÂtion, oppresÂsive, mateÂriÂalÂist.
This list, selectÂed at ranÂdom, could be extendÂed almost indefÂiÂniteÂly. While all of the above expresÂsions are part of the EngÂlish lanÂguage, their use by ComÂmuÂnists is infiÂniteÂly more freÂquent than by the genÂerÂal pubÂlic…
Rather chillÂingÂly, the pamÂphlet also warned that ComÂmuÂnists revealed themÂselves if and when they talked about “McCarthyÂism,” “vioÂlaÂtion of civÂil rights,” “racial or reliÂgious disÂcrimÂiÂnaÂtion” or “peace.” In othÂer words, they were guilty if they sugÂgestÂed that the govÂernÂment was overÂstepÂping its bounds.
AccordÂing to Corliss LamÂonÂt’s book, FreeÂdom Is As FreeÂdom Does, the First Army withÂdrew the pamÂphlet after MurÂray KempÂton slammed it in The New York Post and The New York Times wrote its own scathing op-ed. In 1955, the press could take those risks. The year before, Joseph Welch had faced up to Joe McCarthy, askÂing with his immorÂtal words, “Have you no sense of decenÂcy, sir? At long last, have you left no sense of decenÂcy?
Note: An earÂliÂer verÂsion of this post appeared our site in 2013.
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Here in the twenÂty-first cenÂtuÂry, many of us around the world think of Japan as essenÂtialÂly unchangÂing. We do so not withÂout cause, givÂen how much of what goes on there, includÂing the operÂaÂtion of cerÂtain busiÂnessÂes, has been going on for cenÂturies and cenÂturies. But the politÂiÂcal, culÂturÂal, reliÂgious, ecoÂnomÂic, and ethÂnic comÂpoÂsiÂtion of the civÂiÂlizaÂtion we’ve long known as Japan has, in fact, transÂformed a great deal over the course of its exisÂtence. Some of the most draÂmatÂic changes occurred between the third and thirÂteenth cenÂturies, the span of time covÂered by the video above.
As for the rest of the narÂraÂtion, VoicÂes of the Past credÂits Thomas LockÂley, co-author of the book African SamuÂrai: The True StoÂry of Yasuke, a LegÂendary Black WarÂrior in FeuÂdal Japan. Yasuke, whom we’ve also feaÂtured before, arrived in Japan in 1579, three cenÂturies after the events chronÂiÂcled in “How Japan Begin” — and thus quite deep indeed into the hisÂtoÂry of a volatile land of reliÂgious shifts, politÂiÂcal ambiÂtions, and (volÂunÂtary or involÂunÂtary) culÂturÂal exchanges, all amid an interÂnal state oscilÂlatÂing between fragÂmenÂtaÂtion and conÂsolÂiÂdaÂtion as well as an ever-changÂing relaÂtionÂship to the world at large. We can’t say what mixÂture of staÂbilÂiÂty and instaÂbilÂiÂty will charÂacÂterÂize Japan’s next milÂlenÂniÂum, but we can hope its future chronÂiÂclers are up to the task.
Based in Seoul, ColÂin Marshall writes and broadÂcasts on cities, lanÂguage, and culÂture. His projects include the SubÂstack newsletÂterBooks on Cities, the book The StateÂless City: a Walk through 21st-CenÂtuÂry Los AngeÂles and the video series The City in CinÂeÂma. FolÂlow him on TwitÂter at @colinmarshall or on FaceÂbook.
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