Virginia Center for Civil War Studies – The Home of Civil War History at Virginia Tech

2023-24 Year in Review

As we wrap up the 2023-24 academic year, we want to share with you all of the exciting recent events from the Virginia Center for Civil War Studies. This year we sponsored four free guest lectures including an in-person talk with NPR host Steve Inskeep, continued the annual Civil War Weekend (a tradition for more than 30 years) and visited numerous fourth-grade classrooms across the New River Valley. We are working on programming for 2024-25, check back soon for details! In the meantime, click the links below for YouTube and C-SPAN videos of our recent events. And if you are in Southwest Virginia this summer, check out our Civil War Driving Tour:

Photos from 2023-24 events:

Spring campaign trip to Fredericksburg, VA in March 2024.

Author and NPR host Steve Inskeep spoke in October at the Lyric Theatre in Blacksburg on his new book, "Differ We Must: How Lincoln Succeeded in a Divided America.”

VT student Jillian Sasso working as a Historical Interpretation and Education Intern at Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park, thanks to a funded internship from Virginia Center for Civil War Studies.

Emily Lapisardi portraying Mrs. Greenhow at the 2024 Civil War Weekend.

The Traveling Trunk visits a fourth-grade classroom in spring 2024.

The Traveling Trunk Spring 2024 presenters: Director Paul Quigley and VT students Jillian Sasso and Miles Abernethy.

Author Kenneth Noe, who gave a free online lecture on his book "The Howling Storm Weather, Climate, and the American Civil War."

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

Who are we?

Civil War history lives at Virginia Tech. From its home in Virginia Tech’s History Department, the Virginia Center for Civil War Studies promotes greater understanding of the Civil War era among academics and the public. Whether you’re a student or a professional historian, a serious history buff or someone who just likes to learn, we have something to offer you here.