Where can we learn about character and courage?

Regular people standing up for justice and equality. Better to let their acts speak for their own courage:

On June 10, 1963, nightsticks were raised and fire hoses turned on black residents, who dared to protest Danville’s resistance to the civil rights movement with a peaceful demonstration in front of Danville’s jailhouse.

The day was so vicious, it became known as “Bloody Monday” to honor the victims that day - nearly 50 brutally beaten and at least 60 arrested.

It has taken more than 40 years, but on Saturday, at the site of the attack - now Danville’s courthouse - firefighters were lined up in front of a fire truck, hoses rolled up tight, to applaud along with the rest of the audience as a historical plaque was unveiled to honor those who fought for equality.

Bloody Monday' marker dedicated, Dansville Register Bee, Dansville, VA

By now, it seems that I will be coordinating another project at All Empires. Once again it has to do with raising the discourse level in history discussions. We have tried several ideas before, but they didn't work as well as we thought they would, except for having planned debates on a subject.

The main problem is that most people who join are history beginners, but after about a year they move to an intermediate level. This is to be expected. The problem is that the intermediate members lose interest in the community because they have already discussed the topics that beginners have.

Of course we want to keep beginners from joining, but we want to retain older members as well.

Writing this entry reminded me how successful the planned debate was, so maybe we should organize more.

In any case, the new project is about to move forward, and once it becomes public, I will discuss it more here.