The songs and poems of the Civil War reflect the voice of a nation deeply divided and provide Americans with a unique literary heritage. This program features performances of well-known Civil War anthems, such as The Battle Cry of Freedom and Oh, Shenandoah, and poetry of some of the most profound Civil War-era writers, including Herman Melville, Emily Dickinson, and “Poet Patriot” Walt Whitman. Lesher Center for the Arts favorites Kerri Shawn and Scott Denison will recite the poems, accompanied by live vocals by local artists.
Divided into three sections, Soldiers and Separation, Enemies and Friends, and Lincoln and Requiem, this moving program reminds us of the price of freedom and liberty, which were fought for so valiantly during the four-year Civil War.
The Songs & Poetry of the Civil War
Wednesday, 1/23/13, 7:00 pm
Oak View Room, WC Library
1644 N. Broadway, Walnut Creek
Free; register at www.WCLibrary.org
This program is the fourth in a month-long series of special events aligned with the national traveling exhibit, “Lincoln: The Constitution and the Civil War,” on display at the Walnut Creek Library 12/14/12 – 2/8/13. Hosted locally by the WC Library Foundation, the exhibition is traveling to select cities and venues around the country through 2015. Walnut Creek is the first in the San Francisco Bay Area to host this extraordinary exhibit. “Lincoln: The Constitution and the Civil War,” offers an innovative perspective on President Abraham Lincoln and focuses on his struggle to meet the political and constitutional challenges of the Civil War.
The WCLF and Walnut Creek Library have partnered with the American Library Association Public Programs Office and the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia to bring this exhibit to Walnut Creek. The traveling exhibition is funded by a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities to the National Constitution Center.
For more information about the “Lincoln” exhibit, associated programs and events, and the Walnut Creek Library Foundation, visit www.WCLibrary.org, or call 925.935-5395.
“Lincoln" exhibit companion events:
A Nation Divided – 21st Century Lessons from the American Civil War
Tuesday, 1/29/13, 7 pm
Oak View Room, WC Library
Free; register at www.WCLibrary.org
UC Davis Constitutional Law Professor Vikram Amar presents Lincoln's views on partisanship, states' rights, and the institutional role of the Supreme Court and explores what lessons Lincoln’s approach might have for the modern era.
Lincoln at the Movies
Thursday, 1/31/13, 7pm
Oak View Room, WC Library
Free; register at www.WCLibrary.org
To commemorate the historic January 31, 1865 approval of the 13th Amendment by the U.S. House of Representatives, Saint Mary's College history professor and Civil War scholar Carl Guarneri discusses Steven Spielberg's acclaimed movie "Lincoln" and expands on the film’s story lines. Q&A follows.
