Dear Editor;

I read Mr. Nathan Goodwyn’s letter of April 8th, “A County’s Omission.”

Although he makes a good point that teachers at Powhatan, and Blessed Sacrament Huguenot should use the recent Parrish trial and subsequent verdict as an opportunity to discuss the issue of race relations, I would hope that it would not only be that tragic series of events that would prompt such dialogue in the classroom.

I also agree that every segment of society and every individual deserves equal protection and justice under the law.

However, I do take exception to his remarks regarding the Powhatan County Historical Society and its implied inconsideration towards what he called the “people’s history” of Powhatan County.

First of all, he states that he visited our Web site and found what he said was a racially insensitive and tactless remark about Powhatan’s history prior to 1608.

Mr. Goodwyn, you did not visit our Web site. The Web site that you visited is a privately run, commercial site, operated by an individual who is not a member of our organization, nor is affiliated with us. Our Web site is http://www.powhatancountyhistoricalsociety.org . It makes no such proclamations.

Secondly, you contend that our first act as an organization was to erect a Bronze plaque to Robert E. Lee at Derwent. Sorry again, not us.

We have never placed any PCHS markers at Derwent. However, we have erected markers at Muddy Creek School, and at Cumberland Old Courthouse, and will continue to erect markers that honor all of the people of this county.

Mr. Goodwyn, as a teacher, I hope that you will do your homework in the future.

John M. Kerr
Past President, Powhatan County Historical Society

Dear Editor:

For the purpose of historical clarity, an error in Nathan Goodwyn’s letter, “A county’s omission” printed in the April 8 edition of Powhatan Today, must be corrected. In his letter he states:

“Finally, the Powhatan County Historical Society, which should contend with the county’s history directly, has not done so in any real or holistic way. Its first act as a group was to place a Bronze Plaque at Derwent, Robert E. Lee’s post war sanctuary – not inherently insensitive, perhaps, but certainly a representative occurrence.”

Mr. Goodwyn’s statement is erroneous for the Powhatan Historical Society did not erect, pay for or have anything to do with the monument. A private citizen who restored Derwent provided the funding and placement of the eloquent tribute to Robert E. Lee. He also wrote the moving words on the plaque describing Lee’s encouragement to his fellow Southerners to… “unite in honest efforts to obliterate the effects of war and restore the blessings of peace…” Because of Robert E. Lee’s tireless efforts for national restoration, much of which took place while he resided at Derwent, Powhatan will be recognized and honored during the Civil War Sesquicentennial Anniversary as “Where the Healing of the Nation Began.”

I have no idea why Nathan Goodwyn felt the necessity to draw attention to the Derwent monument but his last paragraph offers an insightful truth in which he states “Catharsis is a powerful thing.” Catharsis is a very powerful thing, however, to reach the full potential of its power, it is mandatory the facts must be actual and not distorted, erroneous or deliberately misleading in any way.

Bobby Wilcox
Powhatan