John Mason, Professor of History at the University of Virginia, discusses the violent and troubled history of Charlottesville and the U.S. South, what to do with Confederate statues, and coming to terms with the collective trauma of the events of summer 2017 Mason is Professor of History at the University of Virginia, and teaches African (in particular, South African) history and the history of photography. He served on the commission to decide on what to do with the confederate monuments in Charlottesville. His books include Social Death and Resurrection: Slavery and Emancipation in South Africa (2003) and One Love, Ghoema Beat: Inside the Cape Town New Year's Carnival (2010), as well as a forthcoming book on Gordon Parks and American Democracy.