[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 142 (Tuesday, September 9, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1744]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           CIVIL WAR SESQUICENTENNIAL: VIRGINIA LEADS THE WAY

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. FRANK R. WOLF

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, September 9, 2008

  Mr. WOLF. Madam Speaker, the years 2011 through 2015 will mark the 
150th anniversary of the American Civil War, a momentous milestone for 
our nation that provides an exceptional opportunity to examine the war, 
its causes and its legacies. The sesquicentennial commemoration of the 
American Civil War needs to involve full participation at the local, 
State and Federal levels. However, as there are currently no Federal 
plans for the sesquicentennial, the states have stepped in to take the 
lead in planning for this watershed event. I am proud to announce that 
Virginia leads the nation in being the first to establish a 
sesquicentennial commission that is planning events and activities that 
offer a fair and balanced depiction of Civil War history that includes 
all perspectives. I am pleased to support the work of the Commission 
and endorse its plans.
  Virginia was the epicenter of the Civil War in the 1860s and 
continues to be a central location in terms of what visitors can see 
and experience today. Virginia has more Civil War battlefields, museums 
and historic sites than any other state, including the historic site of 
the first land battle of the Civil War at Manassas that is located in 
the 10th Congressional District, which I represent. Too often when we 
study history, we tend to think that battles were neatly fought within 
the split-rail fenced boundaries. In truth, most of Virginia was a 
battleground during the Civil War.


                 Civil War Sesquicentennial Commission

  The Virginia General Assembly created the Virginia Sesquicentennial 
of the American Civil War Commission in 2006 for the purpose of 
preparing for and commemorating the sesquicentennial of Virginia's 
participation in the American Civil War. Speaker of the House of 
Delegates William Howell chairs the Commission, whose other members 
include President Pro Tempore of the Senate Chuck Colgan, members of 
the House of Delegates and Senate of Virginia, citizens, and the 
renowned Civil War historian Dr. James I. ``Bud'' Robertson, Jr., of 
Virginia Tech. It is important to recall that Dr. Robertson was 
selected by President Kennedy to serve as executive director of the 
Federal Centennial Commission 50 years ago.
  The Commission is charged with:
  Planning commemorative programs and activities that are designed to 
involve all citizens and result in a positive legacy and long-term 
public benefit,
  Encouraging civic, historical, educational, economic, and other 
organizations throughout Virginia to organize and participate in 
activities to expand the understanding and appreciation of the 
significance of the American Civil War, and
  Providing technical assistance to localities and nonprofit 
organizations to further the commemoration of the sesquicentennial of 
the American Civil War.
  The Commission has established the following goals to guide the 
commemoration that are reflective of values that are important to 
Americans today:
  Diversity: The commemoration will be inclusive of and meaningful to 
all Virginians, particularly: diverse racial and ethnic groups, 
citizens who are new to this country and those who do not have a 
hereditary link to the American Civil War, and young people and others 
seeking to understand the relevance of the American Civil War to 
today's society.

  Inclusiveness: The commemoration will seek to portray a fair and 
balanced story of Virginia's participation in the American Civil War 
that includes African-American, Union, and Confederate perspectives.
  Statewide Accessibility: The commemoration will be statewide, 
involving all localities and encompassing all Civil War-related 
institutions, museums, battlefields, parks, and facilities.
  Education: The commemoration will include a strong education 
component designed to ignite a renewed interest in Virginia's 
historical heritage. Opportunities will be provided to re-examine the 
lessons of the past and the legacies of the Civil War to understand how 
they affect the present and continue to shape our future.
  Permanence: The commemoration will imprint Virginia history and leave 
a positive and rich legacy well beyond 2015.
  The Commission has begun to develop plans for how to recognize the 
magnitude of this occasion. The Commission has adopted a vision 
statement that will guide the commemoration period, ``Understanding Our 
Past, Embracing Our Future,'' launched a Web site that is receiving 
national and international attention (www.VirginiaCiviIWar.org), and is 
developing a comprehensive array of initiatives, including:
  Statewide coordination: Linking, coordinating, and promoting the 
hundreds of Civil War museums and sites throughout the state.
  Museum exhibitions: Partnering with the Virginia Historical Society 
to develop a major exhibition, ``An American Turning Point: The Civil 
War in Virginia,'' as well as the Civil War 150 HistoryMobile, a mobile 
museum vehicle that will be capable of traveling throughout the nation 
to bring these important stories directly to the people.
  Legacy Project: Document Digitization: Using the sesquicentennial as 
an opportunity to preserve and provide access to unknown diaries, 
journals, letters, and other documents that are in private hands, the 
Library of Virginia will lead a major initiative to identify, catalog, 
and preserve those documents through digitization and web access. 
Locating and uncovering this material will provide a boon to Civil War 
research for years to come.
  Signature events: Signature events begin in 2009 with a conference on 
the coming of the Civil War at the University of Richmond, and a joint 
commemorative event with the State of West Virginia, planned in 
conjunction with the 150th anniversary of John Brown's raid on the 
federal arsenal at Harper's Ferry. High profile events are planned for 
the duration of the commemoration to mark important milestones, such as 
a national event at Manassas in 2011 to mark the 150th anniversary of 
the first land battle of the war and to set the tone for the 
sesquicentennial.
  I would like to commend the leadership role that the Commonwealth has 
taken and recognize the work of the Virginia Sesquicentennial of the 
American Civil War Commission and urge others to join with them to 
participate in this commemorating this special occasion.

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