World libraries: Library of Congress Highlights Historical Civil War Figures in New Blog

The Library of Congress will debut a unique new blog to complement its exhibition, "The Civil War in America," which opens Nov. 12. The blog will help chronicle the sacrifices and accomplishments of those—from both the North and South—whose lives were lost or affected by the events of 1861–1865.

A major exhibition on display November 12, 2012 through June 1, 2013.

On November 12, 2012, the Library will open The Civil War in America to commemorate the Civil War sesquicentennial—displaying more than 200 unique items from its unmatched Civil War collections that tell the story of the nation’s greatest military and political upheaval. Diaries, letters, drawings by special artist-correspondents and soldier artists, maps, song sheets, newspapers and broadsides, stunning photographs, and unusual artifacts in the exhibition will chronicle the sacrifices and accomplishments of those in both the North and South whose lives were lost or affected by the events of 1861–1865. 

The exhibition will reveal the complex story of the war through those who experienced it first-hand. It will feature pivotal documents, such as Lincoln’s own reading copy of the second Inaugural Address and Confederate Major Jedediah Hotchkiss’s hallmark map made for Stonewall Jackson’s historic Shenandoah campaign; together with little-known gems, including the poignant diary of Georgia teenager LeRoy Gresham and moving war accounts penned by Union veterans who lost their right arms in the war. The Civil War in America will place the war in a very human perspective and shed new light on the many ways that this terrible conflict helped shape the American people and the nation.

A rich roster of programming will accompany The Civil War in America exhibition including curator-led gallery talks, poetry readings, concerts, films, and a dedicated blog site authored by historical figures featured in the exhibition.