Slavery’s brutal reality shocked Northerners before the Civil War − and is being whitewashed today by the White House

Slavery’s brutal reality shocked Northerners before the Civil War − and is being whitewashed today by the White House

The Trump administration is reviewing Smithsonian exhibits on slavery and other topics to reflect certain values. Alex Wong/Getty ImagesLong before the first shots were fired in the Civil War, beginning early in the 19th century, Americans had been fighting a protracted war of words over slavery. On one side, Southern planters and slavery apologists portrayed the practice of human bondage as sanctioned by God and beneficial even to enslaved peop…