Lincoln and the South Conference
at Tredegar
|
Lincoln and the South McPherson Will Keynote March 2009 Conference
Richmond, VA – As the nation commemorates the 200th birthday of President Abraham Lincoln in 2009, The American Civil War Center at Historic Tredegar, in partnership with the University of Richmond’s Jepson School for Leadership Studies, will host Lincoln and the South, a two-day conference March 12-14, 2009. Featuring a keynote address by Pulitzer Prize-winning author and historian, Dr. James McPherson, the conference will include nearly a dozen historians, a special session for educators, and a twilight reception at the Center.
One of the most dynamic relationships in American history has been that of Lincoln and the South. Rarely has the election of one man to the nation’s presidency stirred such passion or led to such momentous consequences. The 1860 presidential election platform of Lincoln’s emergent Republicans was so detested in the South that the party did not even have a ticket in 10 Southern states.
Internationally recognized scholars from across the country will convene in Richmond to discuss the genesis of the region’s antipathy for the ‘rail splitter,” the evolution of his policy of the Emancipation Proclamation, his characterization by the South over the course of the war, and, perhaps most important, how Southerners have wrestled with Lincoln’s legacy since his assassination. “This conference will be a little different from more traditional programs,” said Mark Howell, director of education at the Center and the conference coordinator. “We will be putting much more emphasis on audience interaction with our team of scholars. It should be a very dynamic and exciting two days.”
For updates on the conference lineup and activities, please join the Center’s mailing list at www.tredegar.org or call (804) 780-1865 x18. # # # The mission of The American Civil War Center at Historic Tredegar is to tell the whole story of the conflict that still shapes our nation. The Center is located at the Tredegar Iron Works, an 8.3 acre National Historic Landmark site near the James River in Richmond. The 1861 Gun Foundry is home to the 10,000-square-foot flagship exhibit, In the Cause of Liberty, the nation’s first exhibit to explore the war’s causes, course, and legacies from Union, Confederate and African American perspectives. The Center offers History Labs and digital history programming for students K-12, while the Tredegar Institute provides ongoing adult educational opportunities through community dialogues and symposia.
|
