America's Sesquicentennial Anniversary of the Civil War

With South Carolina's secession from the Union in December 1860, the United States of America entered into the most destructive, divisive, and bloody period of our history. The cost in lives, both Confederate and Union combatants, is estimated to be 620,000. This number doesn't include the number of civilians, black and white, who died from disease, starvation, or from simply getting caught in the crossfire of advancing armies.

The U.S. is now on the eve of the Sesquicentennial anniversary of this conflict and a number of states have passed legislation to establish Civil War Sesquicentennial Commissions to guide and oversee commemorative events. These commissions are populated with historians, archivists, archaeologists, representatives of re-enactor groups, heritage groups, museums, and colleges. Most of these commissions have not finalized their plans by any means but a few have all ready established programs dedicated to education and understanding. The first to do so is Virginia.

The Virginia Sesquicentennial of the American Civil War Commission was established in 2006 and it is well on the way to defining the commemoration of Virginia's role in the war. To help raise funds, a commemorative license plate has been issued. For non-residents a display only plate can also be purchased.

Virginia's job is a large one. For a variety of reasons, not the least of which was Richmond, the capital city of the Confederate States, the Union concentration on the Commonwealth never ceased. Approximately 60% of Civil War battles took place in Virginia. Consequently, there are at present over 69 local sesquicentennial commissions currently formed and planning. A Signature Conference is scheduled to be the first commemorate event and will be held in April 2009. The conference, entitled "America on the Eve of the Civil War, with presentations and discussions led by notable Civil War historians.

North Carolina established its commission in 2006 and tasked it to develop a multi-faceted educational program with activities located throughout the state. During the war, North Carolina fielded both Confederate and Union military units, although over 900 companies were Confederate with only nine serving the Union. At the Battle of Gettysburg in 1863 it is said that for every four Confederates killed, one was a North Carolinian. By the end of the war, North Carolina gave over 40,000 Confederate soldiers' lives to the conflict. For the Sesquicentennial anniversary, North Carolina is concentrating on the themes, Memory, Freedom and Sacrifice. Events include interpretive exhibits at a variety battlefields and parks, lectures series, publications, and classroom study materials.

South Carolina, the "birthplace of the Confederacy", has gotten off to a slow start. It has not yet formalized its plans or its funding and publicity of the upcoming anniversary is slim. The commission presently has 22 members including representatives of the re-enactment group, Palmetto Guard, the Penn Center, representing the African American community, the War Between the States Heritage Commission, and a local representative of the National Park Service. The commission plans to be more of a guiding influence for local groups who are planning events, as opposed to being hands-on. All members agree, however, that inclusiveness will be at the forefront of any commemorative and that all points of view will be fully represented.

Georgia's Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park was the first national battlefield park in the country. Established in 1890 by the efforts of veterans from both the North and the South, the park is one of more than 300 battle and hospital sites in Georgia. As part of the Sesquicentennial, a plan is underway to establish six heritage trails that crisscross and wind through the state. The most famous of these trails is the March to the Sea trail, which will follow the route that General Sherman took during his war of attrition through the Georgia countryside. Georgia's commission will undertake an update of the Department of Economic Development's website to highlight the events, programs, and materials related to the Sesquicentennial.

On a broader scope, the National Park Service through the Sesquicentennial Initiative will increase and refine it interpretive programs and in the case of properties not currently offering interpretation, establish a program. The NPS website will also offer a more detailed look at the war and the complicated and lasting impact of our country's most devastating conflict. Local NPS staff are participating on state and local commissions and working with local historical interpreters to develop accurate, educational programs focused on their particular event.

The range of activities planned for the Sesquicentennial is varied but they share a common goal. From commemorative license plates and classroom instruction, to reenactments, historical trails, and lecture series, each group seeks not to celebrate but to remember and educate. Although the events took place 150 years ago, the issues and complexity of emotion that was central to the war are, in many ways, still with us. The concerns about state's rights, regional economies, and conflicts of race are highlighted daily in headlines and on the floor of Congress with regularity.