Virginia Center for Civil War Studies
Registration open now for
Civil War Weekend!
Our annual Civil War Weekend takes place March 27-29, 2026 at The Inn at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Va. This year's theme is "Civil War Innovations." Our expert speakers will explore how the crisis of war transformed so many aspects of life, from the way Americans fought to the way they ate, giving rise to new technologies in medicine, photography, naval warfare, and more.
Registration is now open. Click HERE to book your room!
2024-25 Year in Review
A Traveling Trunk presentation at Margaret Beeks Elementary in Blacksburg in 2025.
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William C. “Jack” Davis and Sue Heth Bell, speaking at Civil War Weekend 2025. Photo by Chase Parker for Virginia Tech.
The audience at Civil War Weekend 2025.
Spring Campaign 2025 attendees touring Gettysburg.
Visitors view the augmented reality available at Pamplin Historical Park in Petersburg, Virginia.
Dr. Hilary Green of Davidson speaking at Virginia Tech in 2025.
Thank you to all of our supporters for making the 2024-25 academic year a huge success!
This year, we sponsored several free guest lectures from professors and authors, including an in-person talk by Dr. Hilary Green of Davidson College and several online lectures recorded and posted on our YouTube channel.
In addition, we printed an updated Civil War Driving Tour brochure; presented an educational program to more than 600 elementary students; led a guided trip to Gettysburg; provided grants to five Virginia Tech students to fund summer internships; awarded research grants to visiting Civil War scholars, and so much more!
Highlights of the 2025 Civil War Weekend, attended by more than 120 guests, included a lecture by Pulitzer-prize winning author Ilyon Woo and the announcement of a major donation to Virginia Tech from speaker Sue Heth Bell - read the details here: https://news.vt.edu/articles/2025/04/univlib-Wharton-Collection.html
Click the links below to learn more about the Virginia Center for Civil War Studies programs, and stay tuned for details for our 2025-26 programming, coming soon!
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November lecture
"From Resistance to Reconstruction: Jermain Wesley Loguen and the Politics of Racial Uplift"
Join author Angela F. Murphy for an online talk Nov. 17 at 7 pm., based on her recent book, a gripping biography of a man who escaped slavery to become an influential abolitionist, famously known as the “King of the Underground Railroad.”
The talk is free and open to the public. Click HERE to register.
Music of the Civil War
Join us on Saturday, January 31 at 1:00 PM at the Alexander Black House for an engaging afternoon of history and music. Musician and historian Geoff White will perform songs written and played during the American Civil War, sharing their stories and historical significance along the way.
Geoff, a versatile performer on fiddle, mandolin, and guitar, has played everywhere from concert halls to historic battlefields. With a background in both music and history—including a degree focused on Civil War music—he brings a unique perspective to this program.
This event is presented by Historic Smithfield, the Virginia Center for Civil War Studies, and the Blacksburg Museum & Cultural Foundation.