Moorhead archivist to talk on Civil War Veterans and their fight for pensions

Moorhead archivist to talk on Civil War Veterans and their fight for pensions

Thursday, Nov. 6 | 4 p.m. | Livingston Lord Library 103

Trista Raezer-Stursa, Minnesota State Moorhead archivist and associate professor, has been chosen as this year's Dille Outstanding Faculty Lecturer for her award-winning research on Solomon J. Comstock.

Raezer-Stursa will give a free public lecture titled, "From Battlefield to Bureaucracy: Civil War Veterans and their Fight for Pensions," on Thursday, Nov. 6, at 4 p.m. in Moorhead's Livingston Lord Library 103. Her topic is relevant to the university's work with military-connected students and families and to the support of Veterans across the country.

"Her engaging presentation style and ability to connect audiences with the past make her an ideal candidate to enlighten and inspire the university community," commented the Minnesota State Moorhead Provost Council about her selection.

After the Civil War, thousands of Veterans and their families faced a new battle: securing the war pensions they had been promised. This lecture explores the human stories behind that struggle through letters sent to Minnesota Congressman Solomon G. Comstock in the late 1800s. These heartfelt appeals reveal the hardships of aging soldiers, the maze of government bureaucracy, and the political forces that shaped America's first large-scale social welfare program.

Raezer-Stursa will explore how pension laws evolved, why the system became so complicated, and what these stories tell us about poverty, disability, and the changing role of government in everyday life.