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September 2021
Book Talk with Caroline E. Janney–Ends of War
Free Web Program Lee’s surrender was less of an ending than the start of an interregnum marked by military and political uncertainty, legal and logistical confusion, and continued outbursts of violence. Through the deliberations of government and military authorities to the ground-level experiences of common soldiers, discover the uncertain days after Appomattox. Caroline E. Janney is the John L. Nau III Professor in the History of the American Civil War and Director of the John L. Nau III Center for…
Find out more »October 2021
History Happy Hour: Ulysses S. Grant and Slavery
During the time that lived at White Haven, his father-in-law's St. Louis plantation, the Dent family owned upwards of thirty enslaved African Americans, and Grant, himself, owned one man. Grant’s later outspoken criticism of slavery has prompted debates among historians about his actual views. How did Grant's life in St. Louis impact his relationship with slavery? With Nick Sacco, Park Ranger at Ulysses S.Grant National Historic Site in St. Louis, Missouri.
Find out more »Voices of Abolition
3:00 PM (Central) | 4:00 PM (Eastern) Explore the contributions of African Americans to the abolition movement, including individuals such as Frederick Douglass, Sojourner Truth, and Harriet Tubman. Adults. Registration required. Participants will receive Zoom information via email immediately after registering. A recording of this virtual program will be available on SLCL’s Youtube page within three business days.Presented by the American Civil War MuseumHosted by the St. Louis County Library
Find out more »Book Talk with Jonathan White–To Address You as My Friend
In-person event; ACWM-Historic Tredegar Registration encouraged; space is limited Many African Americans of the Civil War era felt a personal connection to Abraham Lincoln and despite tremendous injustice and discrimination, wrote to the president seeking redress of their grievances. Through more than 120 letters, discover how African Americans felt about the president and how they understood the possibilities and limits of the power invested in the federal government. Jonathan W. White is associate professor of American studies at Christopher Newport…
Find out more »Book Talk with Robert Watson: Escape! The Story of the Confederacy’s Infamous Libby Prison and the Civil War’s Largest Jail Break
Located in the heart of the Confederacy’s capital, the infamous Libby prison took on symbolic significance far beyond that of just a prison. It was used for southern propaganda purposes and was also the site of a bold and daring prison break by a group of high-ranking Union officers. Delve into the event that captivated the nation, outraged the South, and sparked one of the largest manhunts in American history. Robert Watson is an award-winning author, professor, historian, and analyst…
Find out more »November 2021
History Happy Hour: The James W. D. Bland Story and How Former Slave Voters Played A Vital Role in Virginia’s Acceptance Back into the Union
Neither the threat of being ousted from the lands of their former owners nor the intimidation of the Appomattox Ku Klux Klan would deter these pioneering former slaves from casting their votes. What were the obstacles they overcame and what was at stake? With Al Jones, Local Historian.
Find out more »Book Talk with Jack Trammell: Civil War Richmond
Free; Due to limited space, registration is encouraged. Few American cities have experienced the trauma of war on the level that Richmond did as the capital of the Confederacy. The city was transformed with the creation of a massive hospital system, military training camps, new industries and shifting social roles for everyone, including women and African Americans. Discover the excitement, and eventually bitter disappointment, of Richmond at war. Jack Trammell, Ph.D., is the author of more than twenty books, including The…
Find out more »December 2021
Book Talk With Warren E: Milteer Jr.: Beyond Slavery’s Shadow
In-Person Talk Due to limited space registrations are encouraged Segregation, exclusion, disfranchisement, and discriminatory punishment were ingrained in the collective experiences of free people of color in the South. Nevertheless, they defended their families and established organizations and businesses. Delve into the wide range of social interactions and life outcomes for the South's free people of color to explain societal contradictions that continue to appear in the modern United States. Warren E. Milteer Jr. is assistant professor of history at…
Find out more »History Happy Hour: Petty Differences
Summerfield Petty mortified his family by remaining loyal to the United States and serving in the Union Army. Thomas Petty remained loyal to Virginia, fought for the Confederacy, and is buried in Arlington Cemetery. What can we learn by studying the saga of the Petty brothers? With John Coski, ACWM
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