Reflections of a High School History Teacher & Civil War Historian
About Kevin Levin






Welcome to Civil War Memory. I blog about issues at the intersection of historical memory, Civil War historiography, public history, and the teaching of history on the high school level. [Read More…]
My recent post on the unveiling of another large Confederate flag in Tennessee generated a number of comments. It’s an emotional issue on all sides and it is unlikely that the interested parties will ever fully agree on whether it should be displayed in public as well as its meaning. But that’s the way it
75 Comments — 13814 Views — June 11, 2009
The following guest post by Michael Schaffner examines the wartime evidence for the Kirkland story. It is a thoroughly researched essay and is well worth your time. I should point out that Mr. Schaffner did not set out to write a piece debunking this particular story. Like many of us he was curious about the
38 Comments — 7817 Views — December 22, 2009
I‘ve been thinking quite a bit about the images of slave rebellions and miscegenation that shaped the world view of white Southerners throughout the antebellum period. In the case of Nat Turner’s Rebellion newspapers throughout Virginia and beyond offered extensive coverage and attempted to offer an explanation that would assuage the concerns of what white
17 Comments — 7363 Views — June 26, 2009
[Hat-Tip to Steve West] How would you like to attend a reenactment of Abraham Lincoln’s assassination. On March 7 the Sovereign Majestic Theater in Pottsville, Pennsylvania will be transformed into Ford’s Theater. Booth will be played by Charles Sacavage, a retired Pottsville Area School District history teacher who now teaches history part-time at Alvernia
18 Comments — 6840 Views — February 25, 2009
[Hat-Tip to Lee White] Back in 2008 I commented on a graphic novel that tells the story of Patrick Cleburne’s plan to arm slaves in exchange for their freedom. I expressed a number of concerns in that post and I appreciate the author of the novel for offering his own perspective. Now it looks like that
75 Comments — 5663 Views — February 5, 2010
Thanks to Bill Bergen for allowing me to share this talk which he will present tonight at the final session of the University of Virginia’s seminar on Robert E. Lee. Bill is Assistant Dean for Administrative Services for the University of Virginia’s Law School. Bergen has lectured widely and has served as an instructor at
0 Comments — 73 Views — October 31, 2007
New Issue of Civil War Book Review: The damage caused by Hurricane Katrina also stymied efforts to update LSU’s online Civil War magazine. I’ve perused the issue, which includes an interview with Ed Ayers and an extensive review of Ethan Rafuse’s biography of McClellan by Russel Beatie. Dimitri will no doubt enjoy the
0 Comments — 47 Views — February 4, 2006
A couple of weeks ago I had lunch with a friend who also happens to be a historian. The two of us are scheduled to take part in a conference devoted to Robert E. Lee which will take place at the University of Virginia in the fall. I am also tentatively scheduled to take part
5 Comments — 61 Views — July 9, 2007
This review is slated for publication in the Virginia Magazine of History and Biography. On 15 May 1864 Captain John C. Winsmith of the 1st South Carolina Infantry penned a lengthy letter home in which he described the horrific fighting that had taken place in the Wilderness and at Spotsylvania Court House. In the seven pages,
1 Comments — 55 Views — October 12, 2007
Thanks to Betty Baye for a brief, but thoughtful column about a recent phone conversation with a receptionist at the national headquarters for the United Daughters of the Confederacy in Richmond, Virginia. Apparently, Ms. Baye was invited to their national convention and decided to follow up to see if the organization included any African Americans.
36 Comments — 638 Views — May 14, 2009
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