What To Explore in Lumber's History

      My approach to history is to study it through the lens of race, class, and gender with the interpretative focus on agency. Basically I understand the true nature of a subject by adopting multiple perspectives and focusing on the actors and their actions. In regards to the Sawmill Museum, here are my exploratory questions. I will examine these issues further, and as always, I will find I greatly underestimated the depth and power of the history.  

Some questions:

1. African-Americans in the lumber mills or sawmills. Prior to the Great Migration, vast majority of African-Americans lived in the South. Many worked in the southern lumber mills. With the Migration they moved north and west looking for opportunities. As the book The Tribe of Black Ulysses shows though, the history of African-Americans laboring in Jim Crow southern sawmills shouldn't be forgotten. So, my initial feeling is that there won't be much on African-Americans in Clinton's sawmills due to the period the sawmills existed compared to the period of migrations.  Some of the other references detail the meaning of the environment and forests to African-Americans. I think there will be an amazing exhibit, or at the very least, a presentation or two. Even if there isn't much on Iowa history, the absence of a history is equally important. 

2. Latinos and Asians in lumber mills. I will admit that even though my girlfriend is Asian and I had a best friend for many years who was Latino, I don't do much here. Yet, both in the West and Southwest historically and worldwide in modern times, I can't leave out the experiences of these groups. 

3. Modern Slavery & The Lumber Trade: Sadly, many products made in America and abroad use slave labor. Most likely multiple slaves, if not thirty or more, work for you every day. I will have to explore how many slaves built your house. I will explore the modern issues of the dispossessed being used to produce a cheap product that "everyone" needs. 

4. The Lumber Baron vs Lumberjack. Is there a labor history in lumber history? What would exploring a day in the life of a lumber baron vs day in the life of a lumberjack highlight about the issues of class? When you think of the Joyce Foundation and you walk/drive through Clinton though you see the impact of the lumber barons though. These men, and women, used their wealth for much good. This will be the hardest the hurdle, and I feel it always is. 

5.Women in the lumber camps and mills. The women behind the lumber barons. The lumber baron women who used their power to affect change. The women who mothered future lumberjacks. Women play an integral part in the history of Clinton's lumber saga. The question is how to talk about the role of women. Hopefully I find some nuggets of pure gold. 

Then there are plenty of science topics that will be explored. My main interests in science is climate change, environmental history, and the life of a tree. I will get to those topics next time.... 

References: 

http://www.blackpast.org/?q=perspectives/working-quincy-mill-african-american-lumber-mill-workers-northern-california-1926-1955 

http://www.fs.fed.us/people/aasg/PDFs/African_Americans_and_forests_March21%202006.pdf

http://history.wisc.edu/people/faculty/jones.htm

http://erg.berkeley.edu/people/Starkey%20masters%20paper%20F05.pdf