ABSTRACT
Morality has an emotional dimension. Even persons who disclaim any particular interest in moral considerations tend to get offended should their personal integrity be questioned in the least. Nevertheless, moralism and morality can be held apart. This chapter offers a medley of examples of evaluations of historical figures and deals with brief discussions of campaigns to remove Confederate statues, of collective memory, and of how a historian can distinguish between facts and values in an ethically sustainable way. There is little moral reason to write women’s history merely as a history of exclusion and oppression. It is equally important to keep in mind that women have made their voices heard and generally managed to forge their own identities despite their civil disabilities. Moral concepts become notoriously complicated once philosophers begin to define them. From the perspective of clear historical thinking, it is imperative that they do not pretend to exercise such moral authority or political power.
