Date of Award
10-2014
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts in American Studies (MAST)
Department
American Studies
First Advisor
Dr. Catherine Lewis
Second Advisor
Dr. Jennifer Dickey
Abstract
There has been much written about the Protestant Salzburgers, both as religious exiles and as colonists in the New World. Scholarship in this area focuses on the social, political, economic, and religious issues in Europe leading up to the Salzburger expulsion and how these same issues influenced the Salzburgers and how they were perceived by other colonists in Georgia. The information gathered about these events forms the backdrop for understanding the Salzburgers and their importance in Georgia’s history. However, what is missing in the Salzburger narrative is what this legacy means to those descendants living near the site today. Visits to the New Ebenezer historical site, interviews with Salzburgers active at the site, and information gleaned from various web sites associated with New Ebenezer were used to understand what is important to those who are in control of the site’s master narrative and if the control is shared; how the Salzburger history is disseminated to the public; and what opportunities are being missed because of exclusionary practices kept in place by those in power. Additionally, exhibit panels were developed which highlight the Salzburgers’ journey to Georgia and the lives they lived in their new home.