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Re: _Through A Night of Horrors..._ by Casey Edward Greene and Sh elly Henley Kelly



Holly,

Thank you very much for the kind words about our book.

Ironically, as they continue lowering the official toll of missing and dead
from the Sept 11 attacks (now under 6000), the 1900 Galveston Storm remains
the largest loss of civilian life in the United States in any one
twenty-four hour period (6000-8000).

What is encouraging is the overwhelming show of support in the world, above
and beyond the international support Galveston received in 1900.  And after
101 years, the Red Cross continues to be essential in disaster recovery.

Thank you again.

Shelly Henley Kelly
University Archivist

Neumann Library
University of Houston Clear Lake
2700 Bay Area Blvd
Houston TX 77058
281-283-3936
Kellysh@cl.uh.edu



> -----Original Message-----
> From: Holly Hodges [SMTP:FHHodges@AOL.COM]
> Sent: Friday, October 12, 2001 2:07 PM
> To:   ARCHIVES@LISTSERV.MUOHIO.EDU
> Subject:      _Through A Night of Horrors..._ by Casey Edward Greene and
> Shelly Henley Kelly
>
> The events of September 11 have had its impact on the archival community
> without any doubt. The initiative to gather related material in NY (and
> elsewhere) for documenting the tragic affair is gaining momentum, and the
> NCC
> Update has also noted a bibliography.
>
> I attended a session on disasters while at SAA (2001) and was initially
> impressed with visions of great heights (I'm a very impressionable
> acrophobiac), probably due to the last paper dwelling on mountain climbing
> accidents.  But there was valuable insight in the papers (Thank you, Bruce
> Stark, for bringing these together!).
>
> Why am I bringing this up?
>
> I just finished reading Casey and Shelly's _Through a Night of Horrors:
> Voices from the 1900 Galveston Flood_.  I had a sense of deja vu reading
> Casey's introduction.  It felt like reading about events of September 11
> all
> over again.  I'll highlight two paragraphs:
>
>  (page 7) The accounts...that follow are dramatic evidence of the thoughts
> and actions of ordinary people caught up in extraordinary
> circumstances.....Their words, which are remarkable for their sometimes
> passionate, other times detached--almost clinical -- tone, illustrate
> firsthand the ways in which people respond to cataclysms. ...In the
> emergency
> phase, they try to flee or escape the threat.  When flight is impossible,
> they seek protection and attempt to protect their loved ones, friends, and
> neighbors.  They try to be with their families.  They display heroism.
> Panic, however, is an uncommon response to disasters....
>
> And this one:
>
> (page 9) The rumor mill thrives in the wake of a disaster, and rumors
> abound
> in the absense of an official explanation of the calamity.  Their value
> lies
> in helping survivors come to terms wirth their circumstances. [Casey cites
> Saundra Schneider's _Flirting with Disaster_]
>
> Casey then proceeds to describe the cathartic effect of recording one's
> story.
>
> Holly's comments:
> This is the archival element.  The gathering together of stories is what
> we
> do.  Bringing them together assures participants/victims that the events
> will
> not be forgotten for the future.  In their own words.  Later historians
> can
> write however much they want about these events, but it is the words of
> the
> survivors' accounts, first hand accounts (primary sources) that will
> continue
> to have the ringing passion that no others can convey.  Thanks, Casey and
> Shelly, for this inspiring publication of the accounts of survivors and
> reminding us of the healing power of our work to "remember forever for the
> future."
>
> Holly Hodges
>
> A posting from the Archives & Archivists LISTSERV List!
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>
> Problems?  Send e-mail to Robert F Schmidt <rschmidt@lib.muohio.edu>

A posting from the Archives & Archivists LISTSERV List!

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Or to do *anything* (and enjoy doing it!), use the web interface at
     http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/archives.html

Problems?  Send e-mail to Robert F Schmidt <rschmidt@lib.muohio.edu>