National Archives at Atlanta Presents Day-Long Civil War Program April 16, 2011
Press Release · Thursday, February 24, 2011

Atlanta, GA

The Civil War: America’s Long Struggle features lectures, exhibition, and an opportunity to find out more about your Civil War Heirlooms

The National Archives at Atlanta will present The Civil War: America’s Long Struggle on April 16, 2011, at its Morrow, GA, facility, located at 5780 Jonesboro Road. The program, which costs $20.00, including lunch, is open to the public, pre-registration required.

This day-long program commemorating the 150th anniversary of the start of the Civil War, features lectures from leading Civil War scholars and archivists, an exhibition of original 19th century newspapers chronicling the African- American experience, and an opportunity for attendees to learn more about their own Civil War heirlooms.

“The symposium will attract Civil War historians, as well as members of the general public whose lives were forever impacted by this great conflict,” said Jim McSweeney, Regional Administrator, National Archives at Atlanta.

“It’s one thing to hear about the Civil War in a lecture or read about it in books. It’s another to dig through your attic and find your family’s place in the greater narrative.”

Speakers include:

• David S. Ferriero, Archivist of the United States
• Trevor Plante, National Archives, Washington, DC
• Shane Bell, National Archives at Atlanta
• Daniel Stowell, Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum;
• Eric Leonard, Andersonville National Historic Site
• Kenneth Noe, author of Reluctant Rebels and Auburn University professor

Slavery and Freedom in Black and White: The African American Experience in 19th Century Newspapers, an exhibition of original newspapers, features articles on African American history, including editions of Harper’s Weekly, The Globe, The Liberator, and Savannah Daily Herald, drawn from the private collection of Christine Mitchell. The exhibit will remain on display through September 2011.

One hundred registrants will have the opportunity to display their Civil War artifacts and heirlooms and learn more about the significance of the objects from experts in an afternoon program entitled “Civil War Treasures in Your Nation’s Attic.” Georgia Public Broadcasting will film some of these objects for a program by the same name to air on a future date. This portion of the program is sponsored by the Foundation for the National Archives, Scott Antique Markets, the National Archives at Atlanta, and Georgia Public Broadcasting. Objects must be pre-approved. See the registration form for more details.

Registration begins today and is $20 per person, which includes a catered lunch. See program and registration information [www.archives.gov/southeast/public/2011-civil-war-program.html].

About the National Archives at Atlanta

The National Archives at Atlanta is a center for the study of the history of the South. Records in the National Archives tell the story of southern families and communities, technological advances that changed lives, and social and economic forces that shaped the makeup of our society. The Archives in Morrow has both a Microfilm Research Room and an Archival Research Room with extensive microfilm holdings of value for genealogy research and general historical interest. It also has about 150,000 cubic feet of archival holdings dating from 1716 to the 1980s, primarily textual records but also maps, photographs, and architectural drawings.

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For program-specific information and registration questions, please contact Mary Evelyn Tomlin, National Archives at Atlanta, at 770-968-2555.

Members of the media and press:  please contact Laura Scholz, Scholz Communications (NARA’s marketing consultant for the program) at 678-984-6915.

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