Independence Hall in American Memory
"A book that shows us why history matters."—The Historian"Mires cuts a broad swath through the centuries. We see the forces of preservation and politics converge and collide, countered by the environmental dynamic of a changing urban neighborhood. We also observe how African Americans, always a vital presence in Philadelphia, took liberty's message to heart. . . . Mires's plea for understanding the public memory that historic structures shape should inspire others to follow her lead."—Journal of American History"A fascinating portrait that illuminates the connection between collective memory and history, investigates how traditions and heritage emerge and change, and examines how a heterogeneous society constructs and preserves its history. The book reveals Independence Hall, the most revered symbol of the American republic, as a place of contradiction, where the nation's ideals have been both defined and contested, expanded and limited."—Pennsylvania Heritage"Mires's book frees us from any one-dimensional view of the past, and of ourselves, by showing that Independence Hall, like America, always has been and must be a work in progress."—Philadelphia Inquirer"An outstanding contribution to the study of memory places in the U.S."—Choice"This is a book I have long awaited, one that tells the life of a single building so as to illuminate American history from almost every angle—cultural, social, and political."—Mary Ryan, author ofCivic Wars: Democracy and Public Life in the American City During the Nineteenth Century