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Louisiana Uses Wikipedia as Historical Record for Monument

by Amar Toor on February 22, 2011 at 02:05 PM

Printed Wikipedia
Much of the world's history may have been written by the victors, but Louisiana's historical record apparently hinges on the whims of lonely computer nerds. Case in point: the State Capitol building in Baton Rouge, where a statue of the state's first governor is accompanied not by an official document or verified biography, but by a printout of the man's Wikipedia page. Yes, a printout -- from 2009, replete with a URL and external links. Maybe future generations will one day regard Wikipedia printouts as historical relics. In the meantime, though, it looks like Louisiana's schoolchildren will have to learn their state's history from basement dwellers.

Update: State House of Representatives spokesperson Sheila McCant tells The Advocate that the original biographic information was switched out by a prankster.

Tags: BatonRouge, education, governor, history, information, lolz, Louisiana, top, Web, wikipedia

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