Making Sense of the American Civil War at the Virginia Festival of the Book

Edward L. Ayers was the Festival Luncheon Speaker at the 18^th Virginia Festival of the Book on Thursday, March 22, in Charlottesville, VA. Dr. Ayers is a historian of the South, President of the University of Richmond, and editor of America’s War: Talking About the Civil War and Emancipation on Their 150^th Anniversaries, an anthology of Civil War readings published in October 2011 by NEH and the American Library Association. The anthology is the cornerstone of a reading and discussion program, “Making Sense of the American Civil War,” currently taking place at more than 200 libraries around the country. After his luncheon speech, which received a standing ovation, Dr. Ayers signed many copies of the anthology, which was available for sale at the Book Festival.

Bridging Cultures is an agency-wide initiative, engages the power of the humanities to promote understanding and mutual respect for people with diverse histories, cultures, and perspectives within the United States and abroad.