"Mystic Chords of Memory": Conference on Civil War Memory at Shepherd University

I am putting the finishing touches on my talk for the conference on Civil War memory which begins tomorrow at Shepherd University.  My presentation will focus specifically on the battle of the Crater and how Confederates and other commentators remembered the role of USCTs.  I will be in attendance throughout the conference and I hope to be able to provide regular updates on the blog.  It's going to be a busy four days, but I am really looking forward to hearing the other presenters along with the day trips to Antietam and Washington, D.C.  What follows is the tentative itinerary:

Thursday, June 21, 2007

1:00–3:00 pm Registration, Conrad Shindler House

4:30 pm "An Overview of Memory and Commemoration” – G. Kurt Piehler, University of Tennessee – Byrd Center Auditorium (all lectures to be held in Byrd Center

6:00 pm Dinner – The Train Station at Shepherdstown

8:00 pm Welcome – Mark Snell

8:10 pm Keynote Lecture – “Confederate Battle Flag as a Case Study” – Scholar in Residence – John Coski, Museum of the Confederacy

9:30 pm Beer/wine reception, Shindler House garden

Friday, June 22, 2007

8:30 am "The Politicalization of Memorial Days” – William Blair, Penn State University

10:00 am "The Battle of the Crater, William Mahone, and Civil War Memory” – Kevin Levin, St. Anne's - Belfield School

11:30 am Leave for tour of Antietam Battlefield – Thomas Clemens, Hagerstown Community College

6:30 pm Dinner – The Train Station at Shepherdstown

8:00 pm “The Civil War in Film” – Michael Birdwell, Tennessee Tech

Saturday, June 23, 2007

7:30 am Leave for tour of Washington DC – bus to load in front of Byrd Center

10:00 am -Tour Washington Civil War monuments, memorials, and Arlington Cemetery, Roger Davidson, Coppin State University, and Mark Snell, Shepherd University

6:00 pm Dinner at Red Horse Restaurant, Frederick Maryland. Special musical entertainment this evening by Greg Adams and Chuck Krepley.

Sunday, June 24, 2007

9:30 am "Civil War Reenacting and Living History Portrayals: An Overview” – Mark Snell

11:00 am Panel Discussion – Coski, Piehler, Levin, Clemens, Birdwell, Snell

1:00 pm Lunch - The Train Station at Shepherdstown

1:30 pm Wrap-up/concluding remarks – John Coski

Comments

[Jeff]

Looks like a good group of scholars. Keep us posted....

[Kevin Levin]

Hi Jeff, -- Nice to hear from you. It should be a real blast. It's encouraging to see a topic that many would identify with a more academically-oriented group introduced to a general audience. I think for that reason the discussions should be pretty interesting.