Why don’t Americans decorate with battle streamers from the War of 1812 or re-enact battles from the Spanish-American war? Why is the Civil War still so compelling to Americans that many of us care passionately about its symbols, moments and legacies? From veterans’ organizations to battlefield re-enactments, Americans engage with the Civil War in varied ways, assigning multiple meanings to this divisive moment in America’s past.
On Saturday, July 27, a free talk at the New York State Museum explores these diverse meanings, questions why this particular moment in American history continues to fascinate and enrage Americans and uses the Civil War’s Sesquicentennial to examine the complicated relationship between history, memory and culture in America.
The talk by Laura Free of Hobart and William Smith Colleges will take place at the State Museum’s Huxley Theater from 1 to 2:30 pm. The program is sponsored by the Center for Applied Historical Research with funding from the New York Council for the Humanities.
For more information call 518 474-5877 or visit the museum online at www.nysm.nysed.gov.
When is the State of New York going to recognize Confederate POW Camps in New York State with state Historical Signs??
We should recognize criminals with historic signs?