To the Editor,
I agree with Kenneth Gelnick that institutions such as Columbus Day should not be changed by executive fiat, but rather by either a law voted on by the appropriate legislative bodies or a voter referendum. At the same time, however, there is nothing wrong with revisiting incorrect versions of history.
Legend, propagated in no small part by filmmaker Ken Burns, has portrayed baseball great Ty Cobb as a vile racist and a spike sharpened demon on the basepaths. Relatively recent research and the book “The Glory of Their Times,” by Lawrence Ritter, portray Cobb as a hard player who exploited every weakness in his opponents and didn’t back down from fights but a clean player who felt the Black man had every right to play baseball.
Legend has it that Dr. Charles Drew, the doctor who pioneered blood storage techniques, died because a white hospital refused to treat him. Likewise for jazz singer Bessie Smith. Relatively recent research has shown that Drew and Smith were mangled beyond repair in car accidents. One of the doctors riding in Drew’s vehicle was quoted as saying no effort was spared to save Drew and him being Black in no way impacted the medical attention he received.
Historians disagree as to if Columbus was a genocidal maniac. But it is almost certain he is not the valiant hero he is portrayed to be.
Nat Weiner
