Category Slavery
Bound for Canaan
This book by Fergus Bordewich is the story of the Underground Railroad. It begins with an overview of the history of slavery in what would become the United States and takes us through the first resistance to the recapture of fugitives seeking their freedom as well as the beginnings of abolition movements. We eventually get […]
America’s Great Debate
In this book, Fergus Bordewich looks at the Compromise of 1850. “In a larger sense,” he tells us, the book is “about the genesis of the Civil War.” He says, “It will be clear to anyone who unravels the debate of that year that the war was already under way in the psyches of many […]
2025 Gettysburg National Military Park Battle Walks
Gettysburg National Military Park has released its 2025 Battle Walk schedule: [Begin Quote] 2025 Battle Walk programs will be on Saturdays at 10:00am. These 2-hour intensive programs examine unique portions of the battlefield, cover significant distances, and cross rough/uneven terrain. It is strongly recommended that visitors bring plenty of water, appropriate seasonal clothing, and sturdy […]
The Captive’s Quest for Freedom
In this book, Professor R. J. M. Blackett looks at fugitive slaves, the 1850 Fugitive Slave Act, and the political situation surrounding them. “There would have been no need for a fugitive slave law, either in 1793 or 1850,” he writes, “had slaves not escaped regularly, and in such numbers, that their activities came to […]
Mary Lincoln and Dressmaker Elizabeth Keckly
Historian Lina Mann gave this presentation looking at the relationship between Mary Lincoln and Elizabeth Keckly. The video’s description reads, “White House Historical Association historian Lina Mann talked about Elizabeth Keckly — a popular Washington, D.C., dressmaker and former slave — who was a confidante of first lady Mary Lincoln. Video provided by the White […]
Gettysburg National Military Park Campfire Programs 2025
Gettysburg National Military Park released its 2025 schedule of campfire programs for this summer. [Begin Quote] 2025 Campfire Programs will be on Fridays at 8:30pm Rangers present evening campfire talks on a wide variety of topics on the Battle of Gettysburg and the American Civil War. Programs take place at the Pitzer Woods Amphitheater, near Auto […]
History of the House of Representatives
In this panel presentation, Professor Rachel Sheldon, Professor Matthew Green, and Professor Kathryn Brownell discuss the history of the US House of Representatives, including during the Civil War and Reconstruction years. The video’s description reads, “Kathryn Brownell (Purdue University), Mathew Green (Catholic University), and Rachel Shelden (Penn State University) discussed the history of the U.S. […]
Last Seen – The Enduring Search by Formerly Enslaved People to Find Their Lost Families
In this video, Professor Judith Giesberg discusses her latest book, Last Seen: The Enduring Search by Formerly Enslaved People to Find Their Lost Families. The video’s description reads, “History professor Judith Giesberg spoke about the archival materials that capture the search of formerly enslaved people to find family members stolen during slavery. Harvard Book Store […]
‘Last Seen’: After slavery, family members placed ads looking for loved ones
This article is based on a discussion with Professor Judith Giesberg on her new book, Last Seen. “In 2017, historian Judith Giesberg and her team of graduate student researchers launched a website called Last Seen: Finding Family After Slavery. It now contains over 4,500 ads placed in newspapers by formerly enslaved people who hoped to find […]
Student of the American Civil War 
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