Explore the Legacies of the Civil War Aug. 17 and 20
July 28, 2015 —
Explore the legacies of the American Civil War with experts and scholars at two August programs at the Library Center. Both events are for adults.
"Missouri, the Battle Ground, is Redeemed" will be discussed from 7-9 p.m. Monday, Aug. 17, in the Library Center auditorium.
When Missouri approved its emancipation ordinance on January 11, 1863, the Daily Missouri Democrat declared, "The work is done. After a struggle extending through long years, freedom has triumphed, and Missouri, the battle ground, is redeemed."
Dr. Jeremy Neely, Missouri State University history professor and author of "The Border Between Them: Violence and Reconciliation on the Kansas-Missouri Line," considers the legacies of the Civil War for Missourians as they struggled over the meanings of freedom and loyalty in the years that followed. Books will be available for purchase and signing at the event. Co-sponsored by Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield.
A panel will tackle “Legacies of the Civil War” from 7-9 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 20, in the Library Center auditorium.
American Civil War historians and professors will explore the lasting impact of the war on American culture and memory, including why the Civil War is still relevant today, changes in Civil War scholarship, the understanding of the roles women played in the conflict and how technology has expanded our understanding of the Civil War. A Q&A will follow.
The panel will be moderated by Dr. David Dalton, College of the Ozarks. Panel members include Connie Langum, historian at Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield; Dr. Jeremy Neely, Missouri State University; Dr. William Piston, Missouri State University; and John Rutherford, local history associate, Springfield-Greene County Library District. The event is co-sponsored by Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield.