Though conceived in the American Revolution, the United States of America, as we know it today, was actually born in the American Civil War. That bloody conflict in the mid-1800s pitted one segment of the population against another--and sometimes brother against brother--in a four-year battle for states' rights versus preservation of the Union, freedom versus slavery. More than any other state north or south of the Potomac River, the Commonwealth of Virginia served as the battlefield for that epochal conflict, with more than 60 percent of the fighting occurring on Virginia soil. The destruction in the commonwealth--of lives as well as property--was horrific, from the First Battle of Manassas (Bull Run) on July 21, 1861, to the South's surrender at Appomattox on April 9, 1865.
Virginia was more than a major battleground for the war. The commonwealth produced such notable war leaders as Robert E. Lee, commander of the Army of Northern Virginia; Thomas Jonathan "Stonewall" Jackson, the tactical military genus whom Lee called his "right arm"; J.E.B. Stuart, the daring cavalryman; and Ambrose P. Hill, the head of the famed Light Division, who saved the South from defeat at Sharpsburg (Antietam). Richmond--the seat of Virginia government--and later Danville served as capitals of the Confederacy. And Virginia supplied weapons and other resources vital to the Confederate war effort.
With Virginia so entwined in every aspect of the Civil War, the commonwealth should take advantage of that unique position of the past and assert a leadership role today in studying a war that still touches us all. Within the commonwealth, Virginia Tech counts world-famous Civil War historian, author, and lecturer James I. Robertson Jr., an Alumni Distinguished Professor of History, among its faculty and prides itself on one of the country's leading collections of Civil War books. The university's already acquired reputation as a leader in Civil War studies--which cover the spectrum from highly popular Civil War classes and lecture tours of battlefields to public television and public radio programming--makes it the logical state agency to establish a center that would continue and expand these studies.
Consequently, the university has initiated a $3 million campaign to raise the necessary funds to create, maintain, and perpetuate the Virginia Center for Civil War Studies.
The Virginia Center for Civil War Studies would initiate, organize, and conduct a rich diversity of public and scholarly programs revolving around the Civil War and would provide focus to research and study of the period. The initial program ideas are discussed below, but other programs may be added as the Center grows and matures.
Endowed Chair/Director $1,000,000
An endowed chair will make it possible to attract one of the nation's leading Civil War scholars to direct the Center's operations. An endowed chair/director, who will succeed Professor Robertson, would not only contribute to the body of Civil War knowledge, but would also enhance the credibility and reputation of the Center, attract additional support for research and program opportunities, and draw to the university those graduate students wanting to study with the nation's leading Civil War scholars.
Scholars-in-Residence $1,000,000
A scholars-in-residence program will attract nationally recognized Civil War scholars to spend a semester or an academic year in residence on the Virginia Tech campus. These scholars will teach classes and collaborate with the Center faculty on research and educational outreach activities. Because the study of the Civil War is broad and covers many areas, the scholars will represent a variety of disciplines, from history, political science, and black studies to communications, theatre, and medicine.
Scholarly and Public Symposia $250,000
The Center will organize at least two annual symposia: one for an academic audience and one for Civil War enthusiasts. Each symposium will feature nationally recognized experts and will include visits to Civil War sites, principally in pre- and post-war Virginia. Papers presented at the scholarly symposium will be organized into proceedings and published for distribution to both symposium participants and Civil War scholars across the country.
Program Enrichment $250,000
Civil War programs will be a critical element in the growth of the Center. Unrestricted endowments and program funds will support lecture series, exhibitions, additions to library holdings, acquisition of rare collections, additional radio and television shows, and colloquia. Such programs will serve as catalysts in the exchange of ideas and the dissemination of knowledge. The Center also plans to initiate, edit, and publish a scholarly Civil War journal to enhance the study of the Civil War and to provide an outlet for scholars reporting the results of critical examinations of that period of American history.
Civil War Collections Maintenance and Expansion $200,000
Virginia Tech already has impressive Civil War collections which consist of numerous books, as well as manuscripts and memorabilia. While the collections are significant, the Center will work to secure additional materials as they become available. Such valuable and rare materials must be adequately preserved, not just for posterity, but also for researchers. With library personnel in short supply, the Center will fund a Civil War archivist to gather, organize, maintain, and protect these valuable collections.
Curriculum Development for Distance Learning $200,000
Virginia Tech has established itself as a national leader in information technologies and offers and increasing number of educational opportunities through digital and distance learning programs. As part of the Virginia Center for Civil War Studies, the university will make courses and continuing education programs in Civil War history available for distance and asynchronous learning. Such courses and programs will take advantage of both Internet and satellite capabilities.
Graduate Scholarships $100,000
Scholarships play a vital role in enticing the best graduate students into a program of study, which is important because these students become leading authorities and teachers. The Center will use competitive scholarships to draw top students to Virginia Tech to pursue Master's degrees in history. These students will work with the Center faculty in advancing the mission and goals of the Center.
