'Freedom, Sacrifice, Memory' Civil War Photo Exhibit Opens Jan. 2 in Beaufort, North Wilkesboro

Dec. 20, 2011 - PRLog -- RALEIGH, N.C. – Heroic tales and valiant feats are depicted in images that reflect North Carolina’s dedication to the war in the “Freedom, Sacrifice, Memory: Civil War Sesquicentennial Photography Exhibit” (www.nccivilwar150.com). The N.C. Maritime Museum in Beaufort and the Wilkes County Public Library in North Wilkesboro will host the free display from Jan. 2-29, 2012, sharing images and stories that capture the history and people of the Civil War (1861-1865).
 
“The Civil War was the first war widely covered with photography,” explains Dr. Jeffrey Crow, Deputy Secretary of the North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources. “The ‘Freedom, Sacrifice, Memory’ exhibit provides images of historic figures, artifacts, and documents that brought the reality of the war from the battlefront to the home front, then and now.”

The N.C. Department of Cultural Resources will display 24 images from the State Archives (www.archives.ncdcr.gov), the N.C. Museum of History (www.ncmuseumofhistory.org) and State Historic Sites (www.nchistoricsites.org) on simultaneous eastern and western routes. Between April 2011 and May 2013, 50 libraries will showcase “Freedom, Sacrifice, Memory” offering visuals that present gallant women, African American triumph and the perseverance of Confederate soldiers. A notebook accompanies the exhibit with further information and seeking viewer comments.

One of the images portrays a poignant letter from Colonel Isaac E. Avery that embodies the courage and passion of the Confederate forces. Born Dec. 20, 1828, in Burke County, North Carolina, Avery served in the 6th NC Troops and led the attack on Cemetery Hill at Gettysburg, Pa., in July 1863.  As his final act, Avery wrote a message to Major Samuel McDowell Tate reading, “Major. Tell my father I died with my Face to the enemy. I. E. Avery,” and he marked it with his blood.

For information on the exhibit in Beaufort call the museum at (252) 728-7317; in Wilkes County call the library at (336) 838-2818.  For information on the statewide tour call Cultural Resources at (919) 807-7389.

About the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources:
The N.C. Department of Cultural Resources annually serves more than 19 million people through its 27 historic sites, seven history museums, two art museums, the nation’s first state-supported Symphony Orchestra, the State Library, the N.C. Arts Council, and the State Archives. Cultural Resources champions North Carolina’s creative industry, which employs nearly 300,000 North Carolinians and contributes more than $41 billion to the state’s economy. To learn more, visit www.ncculture.com.

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The N.C. Department of Cultural Resources is the state agency with the mission to enrich lives and communities, and the vision to harness the state’s cultural resources to build North Carolina’s social, cultural and economic future. www.ncculture.com