Kennesaw State’s Civil War studies center aids in research‚ understanding
KENNESAW‚ Ga. (Feb. 15‚ 2007) — In the backyard of where some of the Civil War’s most important…
Georgia (Feb 15, 2007) — Kennesaw State’s Civil War studies center aids in research‚ understanding
Jeremy Craig
Abstract
Director of University Relations
Frances Weyand Harrison
770−423−6203
fharris4@kennesaw.edu
Contact/Writer: Jeremy Craig‚ 770−499−3448 or jcraig19@kennesaw.edu
KENNESAW‚ Ga. (Feb. 15‚ 2007) — In the backyard of where some of the Civil War’s most
important battles took place‚ Kennesaw State University has established a Center for
the Study of the Civil War Era‚ bringing together a multitude of research materials
and teaching aides in one convenient‚ accessible location.
“The war itself was decided‚ in large measure‚ in Georgia with the Atlanta Campaign‚”
said John D. Fowler‚ associate professor of history at Kennesaw State and director
of the center. “The most significant battles of the Atlanta Campaign were fought right
around KSU.”
The Atlanta Campaign of 1864 helped seal the fate of the Confederacy and ensure the
reelection of President Abraham Lincoln. And as part of that campaign‚ some of the
critical battles of the war — at Kennesaw Mountain‚ Kolb’s Farm‚ New Hope Church‚
and Dallas — took place not far from where Kennesaw State’s campus exists today.
Despite the rich history of the Civil War in Georgia‚ the state doesn’t have a center
specifically devoted to the study of the war and its impact on Georgian and American
life‚ Fowler said.
“With the demographics of the state changing‚ I think it’s vital that Georgia has
one of these centers to keep the Civil War’s memory alive‚” Fowler said‚ citing numerous
transplants to the state who have little or no knowledge of Georgia’s history.
The center will include a large library of secondary sources and microfilm copies
of primary source documents critical to the understanding of the nation−shaping conflict.
The center will also provide aides‚ such as DVDs‚ CDs‚ booklets and other materials‚
for educators teaching about the conflict.
The center will work in partnership with various historical groups and agencies‚ such
as Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park‚ the City of Kennesaw‚ the Southern
Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History‚ the Georgia Historical Society‚ numerous
Civil War roundtables‚ and historians across the state‚ region and country.
Though located in Georgia‚ the center will focus on the many viewpoints and facets
of the war and its aftermath throughout the South and the nation‚ Fowler said.
“It’s not just about the history of the battles‚” Fowler said. “There are other issues‚
too‚ like the effect of the war on African−Americans‚ women who were left behind to
manage farms and factories‚ and those who were maimed by the war and tried to pick
up their lives to start again.”
Officials hope to raise funds to help support the activities of the center and also
welcome contributions from private donations of Civil War era collections‚ artifacts‚
papers and other items.
In March‚ KSU will take students and interested members of the public to battlefields
in Chattanooga‚ Tenn.‚ and Chickamauga‚ Ga.
For more information about the center or to schedule an interview with Fowler‚ please
contact the writer of this news release.
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A member of the 35−unit University System of Georgia‚ Kennesaw State University is
a comprehensive‚ residential institution with a growing student population approaching
20‚000 from 132 countries. The third−largest university in Georgia‚ Kennesaw State
offers more than 60 graduate and undergraduate degrees‚ including a new doctorate
in education.
MORE NEWS…
A leader in innovative teaching and learning, Kennesaw State University offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees to its nearly 43,000 students. With 11 colleges on two metro Atlanta campuses, Kennesaw State is a member of the University System of Georgia. The university’s vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong global ties and entrepreneurial spirit draw students from throughout the country and the world. Kennesaw State is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2), placing it among an elite group of only 6 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with an R1 or R2 status. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu.
