Let's talk about what the official Bicentennial celebration is ignoring.

The newspaper's Amanda Beam covered perhaps the most prominent example of New Albany's historical whitewashing back in May.

Race riots of July 1862

Powder kegs have a way of erupting with just the right spark. During the summer of 1862, embers of racial tensions flared in New Albany, igniting the city in a 30-hour uprising of violence and murder. For too long, the city had forgotten this race riot. The media back then may not have always been the most unbiased in their telling of the tale, leaving few accounts of the factual story. The aftermath of the destruction, and what precipitated it, may never really be known.

Like a phoenix, scattered bits of truth have a habit of rising out of the charred ashes of history. Local historian Pam Peters likes to sift through the ashes. Researching her book, “The Underground Railroad in Floyd County,” the New Albany resident unearthed glimpses of what happened during that day and a half of chaos. And, what she found casts a different kind of dark shadow on the history of this Ohio River town.

“I thought, why doesn’t our community know about this? Nobody ever talked about this or brought it up,” Peters said. “I just think it was too painful. People were embarrassed by it was my guess.”

So, in which civic closets would the late Howard Zinn go snooping to find all the other powder kegs that the likes of somnolent CeeSaw would prefer go unmentioned during this buffed and polished time in our celebratory lives?

How did those stodgy bearded white guys make all their money, anyway?

Ever wondered about working conditions in the steamboat yards or plate glass factories?

Recalling Judge Cody's remarks last week, who profited from dynamiting historic buildings like the Post Office and Court House?

It isn't too late for the People's History of New Albany to be at least partially documented and written.

"No," wailed CeeSaw, "Not now! What's to become of our Crutchfield Table Book?"

The only problem with having historical markers is the existence of a citizenry unwilling to read them. But we can drive real fast down Spring Street, cradling the Rally's order while talking on the phone.

A terrible thing to forget: Historians seeking marker to acknowledge 1862 ‘race riot’ in New Albany, by Daniel Suddeath (N and T)

 ... The state marker — which would be New Albany’s 20th, giving it the third most of any city in Indiana — would be placed in front of what is now Lamberts Distributors at 142 W. Main St. Historically it’s known as the Israel House, and (Pam) Peters said it was one of the few places of refuge for black New Albany residents in July 1862.

Peters — who is a noted black history researcher — said details of the events of that New Albany summer are scarce, but that what ensued was essentially a race riot. Black people were targeted by area white residents, Peters said. Property was destroyed, and blacks were physically attacked and sometimes even worse.

“There were people killed,” she said.