The legend of the Yule log in the American South is a frequently repeated story; the tale poses that during Christmastime before the Civil War, all enslaved people were allowed a vacation of a week or more, for as long as an oversized Yule log burned in the plantation owner's fireplace. For the duration of the log's burning, enslaved people avoided heavy labor and corporal punishment, even enjoying holiday food and drink-a rare break from a bleak existence. As the story goes, enslaved people soaked these logs in swamp water to make them burn longer. True? Not a bit, according to Robert E. May.

Robert is a historian who has investigated the origins of this myth, and he will present research from his new book, Debunking the Yule Log Myth: The Disturbing History of a Plantation Legend. He traces the story back to pro-Confederate Lost Cause propagandists' attempts to present slavery in soft tones. Fairy tales about "good-natured masters" and "jolly slaves" celebrating Christmas together were lies intended to counter the abolitionists' efforts to expose the cruelty of slavery and free enslaved people in the South. Robert May also examines the Yule log legend as a case study of the process of historical mythmaking and the spread of misinformation.

Robert E. May is Professor Emeritus of History at Purdue University and the author and co-author of nine books. He has written about American territorial expansion in Manifest Destiny's Underworld and the causes of the Civil War in John A. Quitman: Old South Crusader. Robert's book Yuletide in Dixie details Christmas during slavery; his work received critical praise and has influenced educational programming at historical sites including Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia. He has also collaborated on a choral program at Centralia College featuring music from the Civil War.

Enjoy 15% off your hotel stay on History Pub nights! Show your ticket at check-in.

These events are open to everyone interested in Pacific Northwest history, and beyond! Often co-sponsored by local or state historical and civic organizations, we bring you experts, scholars, first-person experiencers, historians and documentaries expounding on topics from indigenous history to the birth of Portland, early explorers to hop growing, and on and on! It's like being back in the classroom - except this time you get to settle into comfortable seats and enjoy a drink or two with dinner while you listen and learn.

This event is eligible for a History Pub Stamp