VMHC Lectures

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Historic Virginia Gardens: Preservation Work of the Garden Club of Virginia Apr 30, 2010

Show notes

On November 4, 2009, Margaret Bemiss and Will Rieley delivered a lecture entitled 'Historic Virginia Gardens: Preservation Work of the Garden Club of Virginia.' For nearly a century, the Garden Club of Virginia has undertaken garden research and preservation work at numerous historic sites across the Old Dominion. It has restored and created beautiful landscapes for the education and enjoyment of all, from backyard gardeners to design professionals. Author Margaret Bemiss and Will Rieley, landscape architect to the Garden Club of Virginia, presented an illustrated lecture on the new book, Historic Virginia Gardens, documenting this important contribution to the commonwealth's botanical and architectural heritage. (Introduction by Paul A. Levengood)

The Ascent of George Washington: The Hidden Political Genius of an American Icon Apr 30, 2010

Show notes

On May 28, 2009, John Ferling delivered a talk on his book, The Ascent of George Washington: The Hidden Political Genius of an American Icon. In 2007 John Ferling spoke at the VHS on his history of the Revolutionary War, Almost a Miracle. Now he has drawn on his unsurpassed knowledge of that era to provide a fresh and provocative new portrait of the greatest of the Founders in The Ascent of George Washington. Dr. Ferling is the author of an earlier biography of George Washington and numerous books on the American Revolution. This lecture was cosponsored with the Society of Colonial Wars in the State of Virginia. (Introduction by Paul A. Levengood)

From Cotton Fields to Skyscrapers: The Transformation of the South in the Twentieth Century Apr 30, 2010

Show notes

On July 24, 2008, Dr. Levengood delivered a talk entitled 'From Cotton Fields to Skyscrapers: The Transformation of the South in the Twentieth Century.' At the dawn of the twentieth century, the South was by all measurements the poorest, most segregated region in the United States. One hundred years later, it was one of the fastest-growing parts of the nation, attracting population and industry at a dizzying rate. How did this transformation take place? How much of the traditional South remains? Looking at such key events as World War II and the South’s longstanding effort to attract business investment, Paul A. Levengood will chart the breathtaking course of the twentieth century and examine what survives and what has been lost in the rush toward prosperity and growth. Dr. Levengood is president-elect and CEO-elect of the VHS. This lecture is a program of the VHS's Reynolds Business History Center. (Introduction by Nelson D. Lankford)

Werowocomoco and Fairfield Plantation: Rediscovering the Forgotten Landscapes of Gloucester County Apr 30, 2010

Show notes

On April 2, 2009, David Brown and Thane Harpole delivered this lecture entitled 'Werowocomoco and Fairfield Plantation: Rediscovering the Forgotten Landscapes of Gloucester County.' The excitement of discovering lost landscapes, including the Burwell family's ancestral home and the nearby village of Powhatan and Pocahontas, has resulted in the resurgence of support for historic preservation in the Middle Peninsula. David Brown and Thane Harpole described these activities to illustrate everyday life in colonial Virginia and to show how our interpretations of it influence our own day. Brown and Harpole are archaeologists, co-directors of the Fairfield Foundation, and founding members of the Werowocomoco Research Group. (Introduction by Paul A. Levengood)

The Portent: John Brown's Raid in American Memory Apr 30, 2010

Show notes

On October 15, 2009, William M. S. Rasmussen delivered a lecture in conjunction with the current exhibition The Portent: John Brown's Raid in American Memory. One hundred and fifty years ago, John Brown's Raid on Harpers Ferry failed utterly. But the violent event and the executions it prompted shocked the nation. They reinforced white southern fears about slave insurrection, emboldened secessionists, and made Brown a martyr in the eyes of many northerners. Ever since, Brown has been a symbol of contrast and controversy. Dr. Rasmussen is Lora M. Robins Curator at the VHS and curator of the exhibition that marks these tumultuous events leading up to the Civil War. (Introduction by Paul A. Levengood)

So Ends This Day: An Illustrated Update on the Life and Times of the USS Monitor, from 1861 to yesterday Apr 30, 2010

Show notes

On November 12, 2009, Anna Gibson Holloway delivered a lecture entitled 'So Ends This Day': An Illustrated Update on the Life and Times of the USS Monitor, from 1861 to yesterday.' Although the Union ironclad Monitor may have ended her working career in a gale off Cape Hatteras in December 1862, her story does not end there. Discovered in 1973, established as a National Marine Sanctuary in 1975, and the subject of intense recovery operations by NOAA and the U.S. Navy since then, the curious "cheesebox on a raft" still has stories to tell. Anna Holloway brought the Monitor to life in this lively, illustrated presentation by combining log entries, official correspondence, personal letters from officers and crew, and material evidence found in the ship itself. Holloway serves as vice president of museum collections and programs at the Mariners' Museum in Newport News, where she recently curated the award-winning exhibition Ironclad Revolution at the USS Monitor Center. (Introduction by Paul A. Levengood)

Moses Ezekiel: Civil War Soldier, Renowned Sculptor Apr 30, 2010

Show notes

On June 12, 2008, Colonel Gibson delivered a talk on Moses Ezekiel, the first Jewish cadet at VMI and world renowned sculptor. Few sculptors of the nineteenth century were as well known during their lifetimes as Moses Ezekiel, though he is little-known today. The first Jewish cadet at VMI, he fought in the battle of New Market in 1864. Encouraged by Robert E. Lee to pursue his artistic calling, Ezekiel studied in Europe and became the first American to win the coveted Prix de Rome. Keith Gibson will draw on his biography of Ezekiel to bring to life this luminary of nineteenth-century art. Colonel Gibson is executive director of museum programs and architectural historian at the Virginia Military Institute. (Introduction by Robert F. Strohm)

Sites and Stories: African American History in Virginia Apr 30, 2010

Show notes

On February 14, 2008, Lauranett Lee delivered this Banner Lecture. Historic highway markers are beloved features of the Old Dominion's landscape. Through these signs, away from the high speed of interstates, the careful motorist can piece together major themes running through Virginia's past. One of the most important but sometimes neglected such strands is the story of African Americans. In Sites and Stories, Lauranett L. Lee mounted an exhibition to present the narratives told by these markers. Her lecture highlighted the struggles and triumphs of African Americans in Virginia from 1619 to the recent past. Dr. Lee is curator of African American history at the VHS. (Introduction by James C. Kelly)

George Thomas: Virginian for the Union Apr 30, 2010

Show notes

On March 6, 2008, Dr. Einolf delivered a talk on George H. Thomas, one of the most successful Union generals of the Civil War. Most southern-born army officers resigned their commissions to join the Confederacy in 1861. But a substantial minority remained loyal to the national government, including George H. Thomas, the "Rock of Chickamauga," one of the most successful Union generals of the Civil War. On March 6, 2008, Christopher Einolf spoke on his biography of the career soldier from Southampton County. Dr. Einolf teaches at the University of Virginia. (Introduction by Charles F. Bryan, Jr.)

General Lee's Army: From Victory to Collapse Apr 30, 2010

Show notes

On March 21, 2008, Dr. Glatthaar delivered a talk on his new book, General Lee's Army: From Victory to Collapse. In this lecture, based on his new book General Lee's Army, Dr. Glatthaar used the story of Robert E. Lee's army as a powerful lens for viewing the entire Civil War, from the early springtime of southern hopes to final crushing defeat, from the homefront to the heart of the most famous battles of the war. Dr. Glatthaar teaches history at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. (Introduction by Charles F. Bryan, Jr.)

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