Secession to Sesquicentennial: Commemorating the Civil War in Western North Carolina

Image credit: Installation view. Secession to Sesquicentennial: Commemorating the Civil War in Western North Carolina, April 19, 2012 - January 31, 2013, BRAHM.

April 19, 2012 - January 31, 2013

The Civil War was a defining moment in America’s history. It tested the strength of the nation’s founding ideals. Commemoration of this important event began during the war and continues today throughout the nation. Why do we actively remember one of the nation’s most brutal wars and the sensitive issues that nearly separated it into two countries? How does commemoration aid in our understanding of the war and the people who experienced it?

We explore the answers to these questions throughout this exhibition. As America celebrates the Civil War’s 150th anniversary, we reflect on how commemoration allows us to connect, remember, and interpret the war. These forms of commemoration allow us to understand our own past, both as individuals and as a nation.