Nope. Just a celebration to honor the Sesquicentennial (that's 150 years!) Anniversary of the American Civil War.
2011 marked the beginning of the five-year sesquicentennial celebration and West Chester University is getting in on the action. On Friday, April 27th, 2012 WCU presents, The American Civil War: The First Year in Review, 1861-1862: 150th Anniversary of the Civil War. Events occur throughout the day from 10am to 7pm and include guest speakers on important aspects of the Civil War in Philips Autograph Library, a reenactment of camp life in the Civil War in the Quad, and a living history exhibit also on the Quad. A full schedule of events and their locations can be found in the link above. Questions about the event? Contact Dr. Robert Kodosky of the history department (rkodosky@wcupa.edu).
Francis Harvey Green Library is also getting in on the action. An exhibit, "West Chester: A Small Town in a Big War, 1861-1865" on the 6th floor of the library, outside of Special Collections (room 615) highlights important Civil War finds and materials in the library's Special Collections. Materials include letters, receipts, and invoices of Dr. William Goodell, a Philadelphia Gynecologist and acting surgeon in the Civil War camp in West Chester, that housed paroled soldiers from the Battle of Gettysburg. Other materials include selected Civil War regimental histories and memoirs as well as information on West Chester's role in the war. The exhibit is available for viewing during normal library hours for the remainder of the semester and throughout the summer.
The image to the right is a scanned document from the William Goodell Collection in WCU's Special Collections. The document is a petition signed by West Chester Citizens pledging funds to answer President Abraham Lincoln's call for 500,000 soldiers. Instead of "donating men" to the cause these individuals donated money, which was common practice for wealthier individuals.
Questions about the library exhibit or the image? Contact Special Collections Librarian, Tara Wink (twink@wcupa.edu).
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