The University of Rochester River Campus Libraries is commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Civil War throughout the month of April with a series of events and an exhibition.
“The Glory of Old Monroe: Rochester in the Civil War”
Exhibition, Talk, and Tour
WHEN/WHERE:
Talk and Tour: Tuesday, April 14 at 7 p.m. in the Department of Rare Books, Special Collections, and Preservation (Room 225) in Rush Rhees Library.
Exhibition: On view through April 19 in Rush Rhees Library in the following areas:
William Henry Seward Room: M-F 9-5, Sa 11-3
Q/I: See Rush Rhees home
Digital Humanities Center: M-F 9-5
WHAT: 150 years ago this month, Rochester celebrated the end of four years of bloody conflict. More than 1,000 men from the area had given their lives for the Union, and the war transformed the city’s culture in profound and painful ways. An exhibition at Rush Rhees Library commemorates the experiences of Rochester’s soldiers and citizens, from national heroes to unsung drummer boys, prisoners of war, and humanitarians.
On April 14, Eitan Freedenberg, exhibition curator and Ph.D. candidate in visual and cultural studies; Dan Cody, registrar of the Rochester Historical Society; and Bob Marcotte, author of Where They Fell: Stories of Rochester Area Soldiers in the Civil War, will lead a discussion about the city’s vital role in the conflict, while highlighting materials featured in the exhibition. A Q&A session and a reception will follow.
ADMISSION: The events are free and open to the public.
CONTRIBUTORS AND SPONSOR: The Rochester Historical Society and the Rochester Museum and Science Center contributed items from their collections for the exhibition. The events are sponsored by the River Campus Libraries and the College of Arts, Sciences, and Engineering at the University of Rochester.
“Bells Across the Land”
WHEN/WHERE: Thursday, April 9 at 3:15 p.m. the bells will peal for four minutes.
WHAT: The University’s Hopeman Memorial Carillon will participate in the National Park Service’s “Bells Across the Land” event, which marks the Confederacy’s surrender to the Union in Appomattox, Virginia in 1865. The bells will peal for four minutes—each minute representing one year of the war. Musical selections will include “Battle Hymn of Republic,” “Tenting on the Old Campground,” “When Johnny Comes Marching Home,” and “Ashokan Farewell.”
The bells of the Mt. Hope Cemetery Gatehouse and Colgate Rochester Crozier Divinity School will accompany the University’s carillon during this community-wide event. Area churches are invited to participate.
