Contact: Shani Leonards
510-981-6148.
Berkeley Public Library to host American Civil War lecture and community book reading to mark the 150th anniversary of America’s most divisive conflict, Saturday, September 15th, at 1:00 p.m. in the Central Library’s third floor Community Meeting Room.
Berkeley, California – The Berkeley Public Library will host “Let’s Talk About It: Making Sense of the American Civil War”, a reading and discussion program sponsored by the American Library Association, the National Endowment for the Humanities, Cal Humanities, and the California History- Social Project. The Library is one of 4 public libraries across the state to host the series which is intended to foster contemplation and conversation of the legacy of the Civil War and emancipation. The event will begin with a lecture given by Professor Ari Kelman, Associate Professor of History at UC Davis. It will be followed by three simultaneous community book discussions of the following works: March by Geraldine Brooks, Crossroads of Freedom: Antietam by James McPherson, America’s War: Talking About the Civil War and Emancipation on Their 150th Anniversaries, an anthology edited by Edward L. Ayers. “The Civil War takes us back to a time in American history when civility ruptured and the nation split in two,” said Jim Leach, chairman of NEH. “The sesquicentennial of the Civil War and emancipation is an occasion for America to reflect together about the causes and ramifications of our greatest internal conflict, and a most appropriate way for ‘us the living’ to renew the American spirit in these still-troubled times.” Multiple copies of each of the three books for the group discussions were awarded to the Berkeley Public Library and are available for check out with a Berkeley Library card. Members of the public planning to attend the community book discussion portion of the event are encouraged to read at least one of the works prior to the discussion sessions. For more information please visit www.berkeleypubliclibrary.org or contact Shani Leonards, 510-981-6148. The Central Library is open Monday, noon-8p.m., Tuesday, 10 a.m.-8 p.m., Wednesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. until 6 p.m., and Sunday afternoons from 1 p.m. till 5 p.m. For questions and accessibility information, call 510-981-6195, TDD 510-548-1240, http://www.berkeleypubliclibrary.org. Civil War Flyer
#####