Spring 2010 Lecture Series

Date: March 30, 2010
Contact: Nathan Johnson, [phone]

As the National Park Service prepares for the sesquicentennial of the Civil War, the staff and volunteers of Fort Sumter National Monument will present monthly talks at the Fort Moultrie Visitor Center on Sullivan’s Island. Beginning in April 2010, these presentations will take a deeper look at themes and events in antebellum history that led to the first shots of the Civil War. The series, entitled Impending War, gives visitors an opportunity to learn about interesting aspects of history not regularly discussed at National Park Service sites in the Charleston area.

April 17, 3:00 PM: Interpreting Sensitive History at Civil War Sites: The Untold Stories by Michael Allen and Carlin Timmons. In the last decade, the National Park Service has expanded its interpretation at Civil War sites to include causes and consequences of the war. This presentation will explore how the National Park Service in the Charleston area has broadened and diversified its approach to give visitors a greater understanding of the Civil War and its impact on the nation.

May 22, 2:00 PM:  If These Walls Could Talk: The Building of Fort Sumter by Russell Horres. Enslaved African-Americans and teams of workmen toiled for 32 years to build Fort Sumter.  Recent research is shedding new light on how the federal government undertook this massive project. This presentation will explore Fort Sumter’s design aspects and why construction of the fort took so long.

June 19, 2:00 PM: Palmetto Day Speeches and the Rise of Southern Nationalism by Nathan Johnson. Called “Palmetto Day” or “Carolina Day,” South Carolinians have celebrated the June 28, 1776, patriot victory over the British Navy at Fort Moultrie for 234 years. This presentation explains how speakers at these celebrations invoked pride in southern history and examines the virtues of southern independence in the years preceding the Civil War.

Fort Moultrie is a unit of Fort Sumter National Monument and is located at 1214 Middle Street, Sullivan's Island, South Carolina. The fort and visitor center are open daily from 9:00-5:00 except for New Year's, Thanksgiving and Christmas Days.