Civil War 150 coming to Scotch Plains Public Library

      


NATIONAL EXHIBITION ON THE CIVIL WAR OPENS AT SCOTCH PLAINS PUBLIC LIBRARY

The Civil War 150, a national traveling exhibition, will be on display at the Scotch Plains Public Library from April 28 to May 17, 2014.  Utilizing letters, personal accounts, and images drawn from the Gilder Lehrman Collection, this exhibition traces major events during the Civil War through the eyes of soldiers, presidents, freedmen, and families.  Visitors will come to understand how people dealt with the end of slavery, the nature of democracy and citizenship, the human toll of civil war, and the role of a president in wartime.

Developed by the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History in partnership with The Library of America this exhibition was made possible through a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

In addition to the exhibit the library is offering these related events and discussions:

April 30 at 6:30pm - Opening Reception

May 1 at 7pm - The Women, Who Were They? Presented by Dr. Linda Caldwell Epps

May 3 at 2pm - Songs of the Civil War with Chuck Winch and Lisa Wilkins

May 8 at 7pm - Civil War Naval Engagement presented by Craig L. Symonds, Professor Emeritus at the US Naval Academy

May 10 at 1pm - Trace Civil War Ancestors with Catherine Medich and members of the Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society

May 12 at 7pm - Robert E. Lee: Conflicted Confederate presented by Elizabeth Pryor, author of Reading the Man: A Portrait of Robert E. Lee Through His Private Letters

May 15 at 7pm - The Meanwhile Men: Non-Combatants in the Civil War presented by Robert John Andrews, author of Nathaniel's Call

All programs are free and open to the public.  Call (908) 322-5007 x204 for details, or visit www.scotlib.org.  The Scotch Plains Public Library is located at 1927 Bartle Avenue, one block from Park Avenue in the center of town.