MY LIFE-LONG FASCINATION WITH HISTORY
For as long as I can remember, I’ve been interested in ancient and modern civilizations, military strategies and historic battles. For birthdays and Christmas, my siblings and I requested toy muskets, uniforms, miniature soldiers, and books. We used anything we could find to re-enact famous battles.
Once when I was 5, and we were out for lunch, my mom looked over and noticed I had used the restaurant's drawing paper and crayons to draw a Confederate flag. She hurried to explain its meaning and historical significance. I explained that I was drawing the battles of Big Roundup and Little Roundtop, during the Battle of Gettysburg. My older brother Jackson had read to me out loud about them.
Some of our best times as little kids were spent at The Book Barn, an outdoor bookstore in Niantic, Connecticut, specializing in used books. We loved going through each aisle and every building, hunting for information and running to look for each other whenever we found something new and interesting.
We were always most excited about non-fiction, historical biographies, old encyclopedia editions, and collections dealing with military history. Later, my older brother would write plays and Emmy and I would give suggestions, based on what we read and things Dad had told us. We had fun acting out scenes about spies and double-agents, belly crawling in our backyard to sneak up on imaginary enemies, and yelling commands to each other. I have really vivid memories of this important part of my childhood and will never forget those special times between just the three of us.
When I visit other places I sometimes explore veteran cemetaries to find out more about the people who served there.
Inspiration For My Independent History Project
As you can see, my interest in military history began with meticulously setting up tiny soldiers on pretend battlefields and scripted re-enactments with my brother and sister using Nerf guns. However, as I matured, my interest in war shifted from a boyhood fascination with military conflict and romanticizing "the good guys" to becoming more aware of the lasting effects wars have on actual people. I have also come to see how war has coincided with racial and ethical hatred and prejudice.
Three connections from my own life inspired me to pursue an independent history project looking at the intersection of war and prejudice: my grandfather’s experience in Vietnam as a young Black man from Greer, South Carolina, the opportunity I had to meet Celine Karp Biniaz, one of the youngest of the “Schindler Jews” freed from Auschwitz during World War II, and the experience of James Hatano, whose family was interned during WWII having been taken from their flower farm just five minutes from where I now live in California.
Papa managed a long walk to a local Brooklyn community center with my Uncle Colin to meet up with good friends about a month before he died. He said it was a great day.
Papa's Memorial Service at Calverton National Cemetery
October 17, 2017