Virginia Sesquicentennial of the American Civil War Commission

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Virginia Sesquicentennial of theAmerican Civil War Commission

William J. Howell, ChairmanSpeaker of the House of Delegates

Charles J. Colgan, Vice-ChairmanPresident pro tempore, Senate of Virginia

Cheryl Jackson, Executive Director

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Sesquicentennial Commission established by HB 1440 (2006)

Commission membership:

Speaker William J. Howell, ChairSen. Charles J. Colgan, Sr., Vice Chair Sen. R. Creigh DeedsDel. Albert C. Eisenberg Sen. John S. EdwardsDel. Algie T. Howell, Jr. Sen. Janet D. HowellDel. Johnny S. Joannou Sen. Mamie E. LockeDel. R. Steven Landes John P. Ackerly, IIIDel. L. Scott Lingamfelter Dr. Paul A. LevengoodDel. Thomas C. Wright, Jr. Dr. James I. Robertson, Jr.

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Virginia Sesquicentennial Of The American Civil War Commission

Organizational Chart

SesquicentennialCommission

Chair: Speaker William J. HowellVice-Chair: Sen. Charles J. Colgan, Sr.

Workgroup 1: Coordination

Chair: Sen. Colgan

Workgroup 2: Signature Events

Chair: Speaker Howell

Workgroup 3:Education

Chair: Del. Algie Howell, Jr.

AdvisoryCouncil

Liaison: Dr. Sandy Treadway

LocalSesquicentennial

Committees

ExecutiveCommittee

Chair: Speaker HowellVice-Chair: Sen. Colgan

Staff:Division of Legislative Services

House Clerk’s OfficeSenate Finance Committee

House Appropriations Committee

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Vision statement“Understanding Our Past, Embracing Our Future”

Goals for the commemoration:

1. Diversity: The commemoration will be inclusive of, and meaningful to, all Virginians, particularly:

• Diverse racial and ethnic groups;• Immigrants and citizens who do not have a hereditary link to the American Civil War; and• Young people who do not understand the relevance of the American Civil War to today's population

2. Inclusiveness: The commemoration will seek to portray a fair and balanced story of Virginia's participation in the American Civil War that includes the African-American, Union and Confederate perspectives.

3. Statewide Accessibility: The commemoration will be statewide, involving all localities and encompassing all Civil War-related institutions, museums, battlefields, parks and facilities in the Commonwealth.

4. Education: The commemoration period have a strong education component, which will be intended to ignite a renewed interest in Virginia's historical heritage.

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Annual Conferences and Themes2009 - 2015

2009Conference: America on the Eve of the Civil

War Military History: Military Technology in the Nineteenth

CenturyCultural History: Life in Virginia’s Counties, Cities and

Towns

2010Conference: Race, Slavery and the Civil WarMilitary History: The Union Responds to Growing

Sectional TensionsCultural History: Slavery and Freedmen in Virginia

2011Conference: American Military Strategy and the

Civil WarMilitary History: Mobilizing for War: The Opening Moves

in the Virginia TheaterCultural History: The Road to Secession

2012Conference: Leadership and Generalship in the

Civil WarMilitary History: The Valley Campaign and the Rise of

the Army of Northern VirginiaCultural History: Agriculture, Manufacturing and

Commerce in Virginia

2013Conference: The Home Front in the Civil War Military History: The Confederates Counter-Attack, and

the Union Turns the TideCultural History: Communications, Letters and News on

the Home Front

2014Conference: Civil War in a Global ContextMilitary History: On to Richmond: The Burden on the

Soldiers in the FieldCultural History: The Strain of War on the Families and

Communities

2015Conference: The Memory of the Civil War Military History: The Fall of Richmond, Lee’s Retreat,

and SurrenderCultural History: Reunion and Rebuilding on the Home

Front

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Centennial CenterOctober 1961 – November 1965: 630,000+ visitors

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Signature Conference Series

2009: America on the Eve of the Civil War University of Richmond: April 29, 2009

2010: Race, Slavery and the Civil War: The Tough Stuff of American History Norfolk State University: September 24, 2010

2011: American Military Strategy and the Civil War Virginia Tech: May 21, 2011

2012: Leadership and Generalship in the Civil War Virginia Military Institute

2013: The Home Front in the Civil War College of William and Mary

2014: Civil War in a Global Context George Mason University

2015: Memory of the Civil War University of Virginia

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Signature Conference series

Conference proceedings available on DVD

Publication (UVA Press) – Autumn 2010

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Plans in DevelopmentMajor Exhibition: “An American Turning Point: The Civil War in Virginia”

1. Gallery Exhibition: Two parts (Battlefront and Home front - 3,000 sq. ft.)

• Major statewide traveling exhibition rich in artifacts, documents, and high-tech components

• Opens in Richmond (Virginia Historical Society) in February 2011• Beginning in 2012, will travel to Roanoke, Abingdon, Lynchburg, Winchester,

Manassas, Hampton and Appomattox 2. Panel exhibition: Travel to museums, libraries, schools and smaller venues

3. Mobile exhibition: Civil War 150 HistoryMobile

• Ability to travel nationwide and reach millions• Interactive components, maps• “Soldier in Virginia” database

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Draft Rendering of Civil War 150 HistoryMobile

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Plans in Development

Educational Film: Produced by Blue Ridge Public Television and the Virginia Tech Center for Civil War Studies

• Distributed free of charge to schools, major libraries and local sesquicentennial committees beginning Autumn 2009

• Divided into nine 20-minute segments designed for use by teachers in the classroom

• Supporting teacher materials will be developed with DOE

• Segments will focus on the background of the war, military campaigns, the African-American experience, leading Virginia personalities, the common soldiers, homefront activities (including women and medical care) and legacies of the war for all Americans.

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Plans in Development

Digitization project: Partner with the Library of Virginia for a major initiative to identify, collect, catalog, and preserve Civil War documents currently held in private collections through digital scanning. Successful pilot programs have been held in Danville and Winchester – more to be scheduled.

Interactive battlefield tours: Partner with NPS and state battlefield sites throughout the state to develop interactive ‘Vodcast’ battlefield tours for widespread access through the Internet.

Strategic Marketing Plan: Work with the Virginia Tourism Corporation to develop and implement an 8-year marketing plan for the statewide commemoration.

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Special Events

Kickoff event: Harper’s Ferry: June 25, 2009• 150th anniversary of John Brown’s Raid• Partnering with West Virginia for inaugural event• Purpose: Bring national attention to the sesquicentennial; media presence• Panel discussions with historians, tours

Significant milestone events:2011: First Battle of Manassas2012: Battle of the Ironclads (Hampton Roads)

Jackson’s Valley Campaign (Shenandoah Valley) Seven Days Battles (Richmond)

2013: Emancipation Proclamation Chancellorsville (Fredericksburg/Stafford)

2014: Overland Campaign (Spotsylvania) Siege of Petersburg

2015: Culmination (Appomattox)

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Sesquicentennial - Plans in Development

Coordination: The Commission will lead the linkage, coordination, unification, and support of museums and historical sites statewide.

– Promote Civil War destinations through:

• Interactive website• Computer kiosks• Comprehensive marketing plan

– Goal: Making travel easy for visitors

– Local sesquicentennial committees• Liaison between the state Commission and the locality• Plan events to highlight Civil War history and experience in the community• Submit information to Commission for online maps, calendars, etc.

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Local Sesquicentennial Committees

To every extent possible, the local sesquicentennial committee should include representatives of:

• Office of the chief administrative official • Governing body (i.e., City Council or Board of Supervisors) • Tourism industry organizations • Convention and Visitors' Bureau or visitors' services office • Chamber of Commerce or economic development office • Education community (e.g., Superintendent, teachers, PTA representatives, etc.) • Battlefields and National Park Service personnel • Civil War Trails local coordinator • Civil War museums and facilities• Historical society• Public and private nonprofit organizations engaged in commemorating historical

events

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Local Sesquicentennial Committees: Suggested activities

• Inventory Civil War sites for “Then/Now” interactive map; provide narrative history of the locality’s Civil War involvement for website

• Plan events and activities that highlight the locality’s Civil War history and that have importance and meaning to its citizens (include multiple perspectives). Work together regionally whenever possible.

• Promote and support the Commission’s signature events, such as the Signature Conference series, document digitization project, and HistoryMobile visits

• Record Podcast tours of battlefields

• Join or expand participation in Civil War Trails program to increase access to uninterpreted sites

**Understand that the opportunities provided by the sesquicentennial also create an obligation to present complete, unbiased history.**

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Local Sesquicentennial Committees: The Commission’s Role

• Serve as the umbrella under which all activities and events fall - - coordinating and marketing the state, with the goal of making travel easy for visitors.

• Develop and implement a strategic statewide marketing campaign through the Virginia Tourism Corporation.

• Publicize activities through a statewide master calendar of events

• Administer a competitive micro-grant program coordinated by VTC to provide financial support to local committees for marketing of sesquicentennial events and activities.

• Provide technical assistance by aiding searches for grants, in-kind resources, etc.

• Work with the local committee to schedule a HistoryMobile visit and schedule participation in the Document Digitization project.

• Keep local committees informed of and involved in the Commission's activities. Hold periodic "Civil War 150 Local Committee Roundtable" meetings

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Use of the Commission’s Logo

• Memorandum of Understanding – Three types– 1. UA – Committees acting under the authority of a local government

(i.e., BOS/Council resolution or endorsement)

• All requests go through local committee for endorsement • Local committee can assign the logo to third parties and will monitor usage in the locality

– 2. NUA – Committees not acting under the authority of a local government

• Local committee may use the logo, but not assign its usage to third parties• Applications subject to longer review process at state level

– 3. Private entity• Violations subject to $5,000 penalty

• An application for use of logo must be filed and approved before each instance of usage

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Staff Contact Information

Cheryl JacksonExecutive Director

Michele HowellGrants Administrator and Project Manager

Tricia HaganExecutive Assistant

Virginia Sesquicentennial of the American Civil War CommissionDivision of Legislative Services910 Capitol Street, GAB, 2nd floorRichmond, Virginia 23219Phone: (804) 786-3591Email: [email protected]

[email protected]

Website: www.VirginiaCivilWar.org

Virginia Sesquicentennial of the American Civil War Commission

Documents

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