The Civil War abides deep in the American soul, and it will not go away. Nor should it. Our nation as we know it began life in 1865 by underscoring one word (federalism) and by eliminating another word (slavery) from the vocabulary. Further, the Civil War shapes past and present as does no other event in the national heritage. Because Virginia played such a prominent role in the conflict, and because the state suffered more military destruction than any other area in the Western Hemisphere has known, her ordeal will always command remembrance and respect.
Today, Virginia Tech plays an increasing pivotal role in the ongoing popularity of the Civil War. Frequent vignettes on Roanoke public radio, hour-long documentaries for Blue Ridge Public Television, an annual week-long summer seminar, plus the “Civil War Weekend,” are but highlights of the Virginia Center for Civil War Studies, which represents the university’s attention and commitment to Civil War history.
For questions regarding the Civil War Weekend, please contact Kellie Wells at kelliewells@vt.edu, and for questions about registration and lodging, please call 540/231-5182.
To register, click here, and follow the instructions on the resulting webpage.
