Upcoming events

Civil War Weekend

We look forward to welcoming you to Blacksburg March 28-30, 2025 for Virginia Tech’s annual Civil War Weekend. You’ll hear from a stellar group of speakers and enjoy fellowship with other history enthusiasts—all in the comfortable surroundings of the Inn at Virginia Tech.

William C. “Jack” Davis speaking at Civil War Weekend in 2024.

This year’s theme is “Civil War Duos.” The Civil War era fundamentally transformed human connections—from friendships and marriages to political alliances—bringing some Americans together into productive new relationships while driving existing partnerships apart. This year our speakers will explore an array of different partnerships that took new forms amid the challenges of slavery, sectional conflict, and war.

Our distinguished speakers will also investigate the critical relationships between leaders on both sides: Lincoln and McClellan, Lee and Jackson. We’ll learn about how war transformed romantic pairings in the North and the South. One lecture will explore a more institutional duo, examining how the United States Army and Navy slowly worked their way toward a more harmonious collaboration as the war went on.

You can also join us for an optional two-night field trip. From our base in Frederick, Maryland, we’ll take a custom guided tour of the storied battleground of Gettysburg, focusing on the critical military decisions that made July 1863 go down in history. We’ll also explore the National Museum of Civil War Medicine and the Monocacy Battlefield, where Jubal Early’s Confederates threatened to break through to Washington, DC, in July 1864.

Whether this is your first Virginia Tech Civil War Weekend, or you’ve been attending the annual event ever since its first meeting in 1991, we look forward to welcoming you to the group and sharing new perspectives on this endlessly fascinating period of American history. See you in March!

 — Paul Quigley

James I. Robertson, Jr. Associate Professor of Civil War Studies

Director, Virginia Center for Civil War Studies

For full details, please visit: https://civilwar.vt.edu/civil-war-weekend-2025/

 

Free webinar — The Fabric of Civil War Society

Our first free webinar of 2025 will be an online discussion on Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025 at 7 p.m. EST with author Shae Smith Cox of the recently published The Fabric of Civil War Society, Uniforms, Badges and Flags, 1859-1939. 

Through the lens of material culture, we will see how the preparation for war, nuances in relationships between Native American and African American soldiers, the roles of women, and the rise of postwar memorial societies are better understood through uniforms, badges, and flags produced and worn during the US Civil War through the 1930s. 

Shae Smith Cox is an Assistant Professor of History in the War and Society Program and a core member of the Public History faculty at Texas A&M University.

The event is free and open to the public, but registration is required. Click here to register: https://virginiatech.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN__dCZz08PSeiq3Fi4NvB7fw#/registration

Please note: We are committed to making our events accessible. If you are an individual with a disability and desire an accommodation, please contact Paul Quigley at 540/231-9090 or pquigley@vt.edu during regular business hours at least 10 business days prior to the event.

Please note: All times are U.S. Eastern.

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