Civil War Lectures Planned at GCC Dansville

BATAVIA, NY (02/09/2015)(readMedia)-- Genesee Community College is pleased to expand its Civil War Initiative to the Dansville Campus Center this spring. GCC Dansville will host two lectures, one on March 25, 2015 and another on April 15, 2015. Each talk will begin at 7 p.m. in Clara's Commons in the Dansville Campus Center, 31 Clara Barton St., Dansville. These talks are free and open to the public.

The March 25 lecture will feature GCC adjunct history instructor Dan Hamner who will speak about "The Civil War in Indian Country." Connections between the Civil War and Native American culture, politics and diplomacy are often overlooked. Hamner will examine them through the eyes of three key Native American figures from the period: Stand Watie of the Cherokee, Little Crow of the Dakota Sioux and Ely Parker of the Tonawanda Band of Seneca.

On April 15, author, historian and reenactor Robert Yott presents "Lincoln's Other War." In order to preserve the Union, President Lincoln had to court the border states, manage inept or politically ambitious generals, and hold the radical faction of his party at bay. Yott will speak about the "fire in the rear" that required Lincoln's constant attention and constituted his "other war."

These are the first in-person lectures the Civil War Initiative has hosted at the Dansville Campus Center. "We invite students, families, and members from the community to join us for these free and informative lectures," said Derek Maxfield, coordinator of GCC's Civil War Initiative (CWI) and assistant professor of history. "The lecture series has been one of the most popular components of the CWI, drawing thousands of Civil War enthusiasts over the past three years."

GCC launched the Civil War Initiative in 2011, coinciding with the beginning of sesquicentennial commemorations of the Civil War (1861-1865). Lectures marking this final year of the sesquicentennial are also scheduled at GCC's main campus in Batavia and at campus centers in Albion and Medina. In addition, a Civil War Ball is planned March 21, 2015 at Batavia's Clarion Hotel and GCC will host the Civil War Encampment at the Medina Campus Center April 24-26, 2015. For the latest on Civil War events at the College visit http://civilwaratgcc.wordpress.com/.

For more information, contact Marketing Communications Associate Director Donna Rae Sutherland at (585) 343-0055 ext. 6616, or via email: dsutherland@genesee.edu.

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