The American Civil War Museum (ACWM) is pleased to announce the 2027 William Francis Bartlett Medal Award dinner will be held on April 8, 2027 at ACWM Tredegar in Richmond, Virginia.

The Bartlett Medal is awarded annually by the museum to an American leader in business, politics, or the military who exemplifies character, selfless-service, and courage in adversity as well as patriotic commitment to the ideals of the United States of America. The award is named for Major General William Francis Bartlett who served during the Civil War, and rose through the ranks of the Union Army to Brevet Major General at age twenty-five by demonstrating unparalleled heroism, devotion and endurance.

The 2027 William Francis Bartlett Medal will be presented to Dr. Monroe E. Harris, Jr. of Richmond, Virginia.

The qualities of leadership, character, and cooperation are reflected in Dr. Harris’ decades of involvement as an integral part of impactful initiatives in Richmond, Virginia, and across the country.

His leadership skills and dedication to community service have been demonstrated in his keen ability to bring together diverse groups for a common cause. His record of leadership is reflected in a variety and scope of board service including the board of the American Civil War Museum beginning in 2013 when the institution was established and continuing until 2023.

For decades, Dr. Monroe E. Harris, Jr. has been an integral part of positive and impactful initiatives in Richmond, Virginia, and across the country. A seasoned business and community leader, he has been a practicing oral and facial surgeon since 1988 and is a partner in the largest and most diverse oral surgery practice in Virginia. A four-time gubernatorial appointee, Dr. Harris is a former president of the Virginia Board of Dentistry and the Virginia Board of Medical Assistance. He has mentored countless students over the years—many of whom have gone on to become doctors, dentists and oral surgeons. Combining his professional expertise and compassion with an innate dedication to service, Dr. Harris helped to organize a health clinic in New Orleans that treated over 3,000 patients in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

His leadership skills and dedication to community service have been demonstrated in his keen ability to bring together diverse groups for a common cause. His record of leadership is reflected in a variety and scope of board service including the board of the American Civil War Museum beginning in 2013 when the institution was established, and continuing until 2023.

As president of the board of the Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia, Dr. Harris served as chair of the Building Committee which successfully completed construction and the historic renovation of the museum’s new facility in 2016. He has been a board member of that museum since 2014. Dr. Harris is the former president of the Board of Trustees at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, and has served on the VMFA Board for the last eight years, and is past president of the board of Virginia Repertory Theater. His civic accomplishments include the Richmond Times Dispatch “Person of the Year” and Bank of America’s “Citizen of the Year”. Dr. Harris earned his Doctor of Medicine from the University of Louisville School of Dentistry where he finished at the top of his class. He completed his oral and maxillofacial surgery training at Michael Reese Hospital/University of Chicago. He recently earned a certificate in corporate governance from the Wharton School and is a member of Sigma Pi Phi and Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternities.