Civil War 150th Anniversary Commemoration Beginning This Year
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Michigan troops charge at Gettysburg on July 3, 1863. (Bentley Historical Library)
Michigan residents are going to be hearing a lot more about the Civil War in the next few years.
The nation this year has begun commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Civil War.
Although no actual battles were fought in Michigan, men and women from the state served throughout the war in more than 50 Michigan regiments of infantry, cavalry, artillery, and engineers, as well as in regiments of other states.
These Michigan citizens were vital to the Union cause, and President Abraham Lincoln is quoted as exclaiming, "Thank God for Michigan!" when the state's first troops arrived in Washington to serve.
As part of this sesquicentennial celebration, the Michigan State University Archives & Historical Collections has begun digitizing its collections relating to the Civil War. These materials -- including hundreds of pages of correspondence, diaries, musters, reminiscences, and photographs -- will be made available online for public use.
On December 27, 2007, Governor Jennifer M. Granholm issued Executive Order 2007-52. The EO gives the Commission responsibility for Michigan's commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the American Civil War. The EO did not set any inclusive dates, so programs may begin before 2011 and extend beyond 2015. Commission plans cover grassroots involvement, events and projects, education, heritage tourism, marketing, and funding.
Commissioner Jack Dempsey chairs the Commission's Civil War Committee; members are Commissioners Jim McConnell, Edward Surovell, and Tom Truscott and former Commissioner Judy Tappero. Sandra Clark, director, and Mary Patrick, commission liaison, of the Michigan Historical Center provide guidance, assistance, and resource support.
The Commission is to encourage schools and cultural institutions in Michigan to participate in activities recognizing the Sesquicentennial of the Civil War.
In doing so, the Commission is to enlist the support and participation of private citizens, businesses, nonprofit organizations, and governmental entities in an observance that fosters authenticity and inclusion. The Commission is to "serve as clearinghouse for collection and dissemination of information about plans, events, programs, observances, and services" connected with the Sesquicentennial due to its central position as the executive- and legislatively-appointed state body charged with history matters.
The Commission will create an Internet website to provide guidance and information to communities, organizations, and individuals, as well as a clearinghouse listing what communities, organizations and individuals elect to do to commemorate the Civil War, including their research, public programs, and events.
This "Michigan Remembers the Civil War" website will include links to the Michigan Historical Center's digitized collections, Michigan History articles on the Civil War, and the Center's educational materials. It will contain ideas and lists such as where to find songs from the era that could be used in school and community concerts, how to create a tour for the Civil War portion of a cemetery or rededicate a Civil War Monument, Civil War themed plays and people providing programs. It will include links to national Civil War websites, including those associated with National Parks, and to Michigan collections available to researchers. It will feature a blog with entries by commissioners, Center experts, and invited writers. The latest internet communications features, such as Twitter and Facebook, will be used to increase grassroots involvement. The rest of the site will be created by direct public input and include:
an area where people are encouraged to share what they know about their community's relationship to the war;
a calendar of events that people can easily update;
a Flickr photo group;
contact information for all organizations that commemorate the Civil War in Michigan;
a heritage travel area with existing monuments that commemorate the war, cemeteries, and neighborhoods with buildings from the era.
a "Michigan in the Civil War this week" feature, if a volunteer can be found to create the listings.
The Center will not authenticate material posted by the public. Search features will include access by city, county or region. Acting as a clearinghouse, the Commission will not establish a seal of approval or other juried registry of events. However, it will develop a logo that can be used to identify and connect Michigan Sesquicentennial events in the eyes of the public.
The website calendar of events will contain Michigan Historical Center-sponsored and community-sponsored events, as well as those that are organized by other entities such as roundtables and universities.
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"The BUZZ" - Read Feedback From Readers! |
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dswacks Says:
On August 25, 2010
at 06:35 PM
is their website up yet? we (7th Mi Cav CRWT) should be included on there somewhere. deedee
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Dave Rogers |
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