Controversey around Tampa pirate ship exhibit

[sachmo71]

Please read the article below:

Pirate Ship Exhibit Plans Sail Into Controversy Over Slavery
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By BAIRD HELGESON The Tampa Tribune

Published: Nov 3, 2006

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TAMPA - A museum exhibit dedicated to a pirate ship would seem like a perfect fit for Tampa.

The city is the home of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and an annual festival to celebrate the Spanish pirate Jose Gaspar.

The Museum of Science & Industry's plan to open an exhibit about the pirate ship Whydah, however, reignited old racial tensions about a vessel that once carried slaves.

"How do you handle a subject matter this divisive as an entertainment attraction?" asked James Ransom, a member of the National Coalition of African American Organizations. "It's hurtful and painful."

Tampa officials nixed plans to bring a museum of artifacts from Whydah (pronounced WID-ah) in 1993 after the black community complained the display would belittle or diminish the history of slavery.

Officials had hoped the $70 million pirate museum could jump-start tourism along Tampa's Garrison Channel. Black business leaders, ministers and professors complained about being excluded before city leaders unveiled the plan.

MOSI President Wit Ostrenko hopes to ease tensions this time, and assembled a committee of black leaders to help design the exhibit. He pledged that the exhibition would be sensitive to their concerns.

"This is about pirates, not about slavery," Ostrenko said. "It won't glorify the escaped slaves that became pirates on the ship."

Hyping History
Some leaders in the black community said they suspect MOSI waded into the controversy at least partially to generate hype before the exhibit opens.

Ransom and others said MOSI effectively converted conflict surrounding "Bodies, The Exhibition" into financial success.

The exhibit, which featured human cadavers in real-life poses, set attendance records and brought in more than $1 million for MOSI.

The Florida Anatomical Board tried unsuccessfully to prevent Bodies from opening, saying the exhibit creator couldn't prove the subjects gave permission to have their cadavers used as exhibit displays.

Terry Davis, of the American Association of Museums, said MOSI is in a unique position of trying to compete with attractions such as Busch Gardens, The Florida Aquarium and Orlando theme parks.

"MOSI has to look for anything to distinguish it from the other attractions," she said.

That forces MOSI to challenge conventional ideas about what science museums are supposed to be, Davis said.

Ransom said MOSI has gone too far. "I understand MOSI needs to make a profit, but it should not be exploiting this story of slavery to do that," he said.

MOSI officials are negotiating with Arts and Exhibitions International to have the exhibit's world premiere in Tampa. The Aurora, Ohio, company created the hugely successful King Tut exhibit, which draws about 1 million visitors in each city. National Geographic has sponsored the Whydah exhibit.

MOSI officials hope for a debut that coincides with the summer release of the third installment of the "Pirates of the Caribbean" movies.

Don't expect to learn much about Whydah's years carrying slaves, though.

A 12,000-square-foot exhibit could never do justice to a topic as divisive and complex as slavery, Ostrenko said. Instead, it will offer a focused and thoughtful look at the archeological significance of the ship and even the weather that caused the boat's demise. The exhibition would focus on pirates between the 1600s and 1821, and include relics from other ships.

Nautical Nuggets
Built in London, Whydah carried slaves from West Africa to Jamaica on its maiden voyage. Samuel Bellamy, a pirate known as Black Sam, eventually hijacked the ship in the Bahamas and went on a raiding voyage up the Atlantic seaboard. The ship wrecked in a storm off Cape Cod in April 1717.

A salvage operation found Whydah off the shores of Wellfleet, Mass., in 1984. Archeologists considered it the first glimpse of a pirate culture known mostly in folklore. Among the items recovered: cannons, firearms, ammunition, tools, dinnerware, pagan symbols and clothing.

"This exhibit will set history straight about who these pirates were," Ostrenko said.

Kevin Yelvington is a University of South Florida associate professor of anthropology who studied Tampa's debate over the ship in the early 1990s.

Yelvington said he figured the controversy would be good for MOSI's bottom line when he heard about the exhibit. He's not sure it's good for history, however.

"Obviously MOSI is going for the big splash," he said. In terms of the slavery part of the story, "I am not sure how MOSI can negotiate this where others have failed."

Ostrenko is resigned to living with some community unrest.

"You can't please everyone," he said.

I am bewildered by my apparent racial insensitivity on this issue. I really don't get the objections. Yes, the ship was used to carry slaves. It was then captured and used to murder and plunder. This creates the historical value of the ship, but why does one overpower the other? Why would it's existance, and even profitability, cause pain and hardship?

I think it's important to educate people, perhaps even go a little overboard as we are likely to do in these sensitive times to appease as many groups as possible. If the past history of the ship as a slave ship is put into focus and made relevant in the museum, isn't that enough?

[wade moore]

Originally Posted by sachmo71

I think it's important to educate people, perhaps even go a little overboard as we are likely to do in these sensitive times to appease as many groups as possible. If the past history of the ship as a slave ship is put into focus and made relevant in the museum, isn't that enough?

This is particularly strange to me because, at least in this heavy Civil War History region, the focus of many historical sites is turning more and more (to a fault imo, but that's another issue) to addressing slavery. This seems like a great opportunity to highlight this part of the Ships history and talk about it's impact. It's not like you're saying slavery was good by putting it on display.

[Young Drachma]

Tempted...but I'll just leave this one alone.

[sachmo71]

Originally Posted by wade moore

This is particularly strange to me because, at least in this heavy Civil War History region, the focus of many historical sites is turning more and more (to a fault imo, but that's another issue) to addressing slavery. This seems like a great opportunity to highlight this part of the Ships history and talk about it's impact. It's not like you're saying slavery was good by putting it on display.

This is where I have a hard time. If they choose to make it into a disney ride, it would focus on the pirate history of the ship. it would be a waste, but it's the ownders right. I don't see why the fact that it was used as a slave ship should invalidate that.

[wade moore]

Just reading I think I had missed this paragraph..

Don't expect to learn much about Whydah's years carrying slaves, though.

A 12,000-square-foot exhibit could never do justice to a topic as divisive and complex as slavery, Ostrenko said. Instead, it will offer a focused and thoughtful look at the archeological significance of the ship and even the weather that caused the boat's demise. The exhibition would focus on pirates between the 1600s and 1821, and include relics from other ships.

I think that is a bit of a problem. Like I said above, you take this as a chance to highlight and discuss it's use in the slave trade as I imagine this is not the only pirate ship used for that purpose.

[sachmo71]

Originally Posted by Dark Cloud

Tempted...but I'll just leave this one alone.

If you have an opinion I'd love to hear it. I'm not looking for a fight; apparently I'm just not getting it, but that does not mean I don't have something to learn. This would be a chance to teach someone something.

[st.cronin]

arrr

[wade moore]

Originally Posted by sachmo71

This is where I have a hard time. If they choose to make it into a disney ride, it would focus on the pirate history of the ship. it would be a waste, but it's the ownders right. I don't see why the fact that it was used as a slave ship should invalidate that.

I have to think about it some I guess. It's kind of like can you talk about Thomas Jefferson's impact without at least mentioning his history with regards to slavery.

It's a tough question that I'm not sure what the answer is. I'm not sure if it is "intellectually responsible" to take an artifact like this and just completely ignore a significant piece of it's history and still bill it as an archeological artifact.

[Warhammer]

Let me get this straight, since this ship was used one time to haul slaves, it cannot be used as anything but a way to promote discussion about slavery?

The older I get, I believe more and more that a lot of racial issues are becoming issues because too many people stand to lose power if they don't become issues.

[Glengoyne]

The depth and reach of Political Correctness should never be doubted. It is pervaisive, and apparently it is everyone's right to not only be offended by any perceived sleight, but to restrict the conduct of others who might dare to hold an opinion or belief that may differ from one's own.

[st.cronin]

Originally Posted by Warhammer

Let me get this straight, since this ship was used one time to haul slaves, it cannot be used as anything but a way to promote discussion about slavery?

The older I get, I believe more and more that a lot of racial issues are becoming issues because too many people stand to lose power if they don't become issues.

"

[st.cronin]

Originally Posted by Glengoyne

The depth and reach of Political Correctness should never be doubted. It is pervaisive, and apparently it is everyone's right to not only be offended by any perceived sleight, but to restrict the conduct of others who might dare to hold an opinion or belief that may differ from one's own.

"

Although political correctness is in fact a good thing. It is a GOOD thing to not offend people, it is a good thing to treat all people as equals.

But, when it becomes a doctrine, it becomes something rotten.

[wade moore]

Originally Posted by Warhammer

Let me get this straight, since this ship was used one time to haul slaves, it cannot be used as anything but a way to promote discussion about slavery?

The older I get, I believe more and more that a lot of racial issues are becoming issues because too many people stand to lose power if they don't become issues.

IMO, it's not that I think it should not be allowed to be used as a tool to only promote discussion about slavery. But that it is intellectually dishonest to exclude it. Just like I would think it is intellectulaly dishonest to promote this only as a slave ship and not as a pirate ship. As I said, I think that many historical sites in the MD/VA/NC area have become FAR too focused on slavery at the expense of other items.

I just think that if you have a truely historically significant item like this that any historical treatment should address all significant aspects, not just some.

[King of New York]

I am totally, totally shocked...that someone would have a museum exhibit consisting of cadavers forced into life-like poses

[albionmoonlight]

That's silly.

Using the bully pulpit to shut down an educational opportunity simply because you don't like the message that is (or is not) going to be taught is silly.

The NCAAO should not have tried to squelch the exhibit (though they had a right to try, they should have refrained), and the museum should not have given in.

Censorship in the name of politeness is still censorship.

[wade moore]

Originally Posted by albionmoonlight

That's silly.

Using the bully pulpit to shut down an educational opportunity simply because you don't like the message that is (or is not) going to be taught is silly.

The NCAAO should not have tried to squelch the exhibit (though they had a right to try, they should have refrained), and the museum should not have given in.

Censorship in the name of politeness is still censorship.

I will say this for what I'm argueing..

I'm saying what I think the museum should do.

I don't think that anyone should stop them from doing what they please besides patrons and donors.

[Warhammer]

Originally Posted by wade moore

IMO, it's not that I think it should not be allowed to be used as a tool to only promote discussion about slavery. But that it is intellectually dishonest to exclude it. Just like I would think it is intellectulaly dishonest to promote this only as a slave ship and not as a pirate ship. As I said, I think that many historical sites in the MD/VA/NC area have become FAR too focused on slavery at the expense of other items.

I just think that if you have a truely historically significant item like this that any historical treatment should address all significant aspects, not just some.

BTW wade, this my comment wasn't in response to yours, it was more of a general comment in response to the article. I almost went in and edited it for that, but opted not to.

If, they are billing it as a slave ship and don't talk about slavery, I have an issue with that. However, if they are just promoting the ship as a pirate ship and on its maiden voyage it carried slaves, I don't see the reason why they need to talk about it.

[Glengoyne]

Originally Posted by st.cronin

"

Although political correctness is in fact a good thing. It is a GOOD thing to not offend people, it is a good thing to treat all people as equals.

But, when it becomes a doctrine, it becomes something rotten.

I agree with this in general, as I agree it is a good thing to not offend folks. I also think it is a good thing to understand that others might not share my feelings about something, and that it is acceptable for them to express whatever it is they feel like expressing. So yes it is good not to offend, but it is also good to occasionally be offended and hold your tongue.

[albionmoonlight]

Originally Posted by wade moore

I will say this for what I'm argueing..

I'm saying what I think the museum should do.

I don't think that anyone should stop them from doing what they please besides patrons and donors.

When I said, "silly," I meant the actions of the people in the story.

You are doing what should be done--engaging in rational debate over the issue.

The people in the story, instead of engaging in that debate, decided to use the bully pulpit to shut the museum down.

So, certainly no critique of your position was intended.

[wade moore]

Originally Posted by Warhammer

BTW wade, this my comment wasn't in response to yours, it was more of a general comment in response to the article. I almost went in and edited it for that, but opted not to.

If, they are billing it as a slave ship and don't talk about slavery, I have an issue with that. However, if they are just promoting the ship as a pirate ship and on its maiden voyage it carried slaves, I don't see the reason why they need to talk about it.

Yeah, like I said, mine is a bit of an idealistic view. I just feel like to truely do an archeological artificat justice, from an historical standpoint, you should take about each element that is historically significant.

For instance, let's say 50 years from now they open up Saddam's Palace as a tourist site. And they make it a museum to discuss it's architectural significance and say nothing about how it was used by Saddam, etc, etc. I don't think it's "offensive", I just think it's not an intelletually honest use of the historical artifact.

[CU Tiger]

Originally Posted by st.cronin

"

Although political correctness is in fact a good thing. It is a GOOD thing to not offend people,

I disagree with this point greatly. Not offending people is neither good nor bad. HONESTY is good. Sometimes honesty offends some. It has to be tempered with tact, but if the truth hurts it is time to deal with it.

The fact is slavery DID happen. Was it right? HELL NO, but it happened. No amount of ignoring it, will chanage that it happened. Ignoring it will only ensure that it happens again. [If we don't learn from our mistakes we are only doomed to repeat them]

A 200 year old boat that was a pirate ship is interesting. I dont care if it hauled slaves, dead bodies, or aborted babies. It still has historical significance and interest. Enjoying and studying this signifiance does not belittle or demean the suffering or the wrongs that were done in the past. But neither does this history relegate all items involving this vessel as insignificant.

As to the civil war relevence, I'm not touching that....

[Draft Dodger]

Originally Posted by Dark Cloud

Tempted...but I'll just leave this one alone.

I'll echo sachmo and say that sincerely be interested in your thoughts. I too am have a hard time even understanding why this would be a bad thing for anyone.

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by Warhammer

Let me get this straight, since this ship was used one time to haul slaves, it cannot be used as anything but a way to promote discussion about slavery?

Yeah, this is a bit baffling to me, to say the least.

SI

[Dutch]

Officials had hoped the $70 million pirate museum could jump-start tourism along Tampa's Garrison Channel. Black business leaders, ministers and professors complained about being excluded before city leaders unveiled the plan.

Wow. This to me is implying that it might not have become an issue if black business leaders had their skids properly greased before the unveiling.

[CU Tiger]

Originally Posted by Dutch

Wow. This to me is implying that it might not have become an issue if black business leaders had their skids properly greased before the unveiling.

Are you suggesting that tis battle is not simply about morality nd racial insensitivity, but might also have *GASP* financial undertones?

So displaying the pirate ship does injustice to the plight of American slaves, but if the business leaders had been included in the planning (and presumably profit) then it would be ok?

[stevew]

Originally Posted by CU Tiger

Are you suggesting that tis battle is not simply about morality nd racial insensitivity, but might also have *GASP* financial undertones?

So displaying the pirate ship does injustice to the plight of American slaves, but if the business leaders had been included in the planning (and presumably profit) then it would be ok?

I think Je$$e Jack$on would probably agree with that.

[Desnudo]

arrrrgh