Preservation News: Conference on Preservation & Monuments

Oftentimes we think of preservation in the sense of saving battlefield land or preserving an important artifact or archival material. However, perhaps we can also see preservation of markers or monuments as important task.

Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation recently hosted an event to further the discussion of Confederate markers and monuments on Civil War battleground.

In July 2018, the history conference titled “Confederate Icons: History Memory and the Future of Our Past” focused exclusively on an aspect of preservation and followed the release of a statement in 2017 of this foundation’s official stance on markers or monuments on battlefields. (Read it here.)

The conference drew over 200 attendees and was broadcast live on American History TV (C-SPAN). Hosted at James Madison University, the foundation hosted speakers James I. “Bud” Robertson, Jr., Caroline E. Janney, Christy S. Coleman, John M. Coski, and Kevin M. Walker to present historical perspective and ideas for the futures.

Curious about the presentations? The discussions can be found here in the C-SPAN archive.

Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation continues to take forward steps in preservation and seeks conversation about controversial topics to better understand the situations and solutions. This conference was one example of their work in this area of preservation, historical interpretation, and ideas for the future.



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