27th Annual Appomattox Court House NHP and Longwood University Free Civil War Seminar

Appomattox, Va.- Join the National Park Service and Longwood University on Saturday, February 7, 2026, for a free, day-long seminar in the Jarman Auditorium at Longwood University, Farmville, VA. Doors will open at 8:30 a.m., with the first presentation at 9 a.m. Noted scholars will explore "From Manassas to the Big Screen," examining battles, leaders, relics and the Civil War's lasting impact on both film and culture.

The program will include the following presentations:

Reclaiming Revolutionary Relics in the Civil War Era: Abbi Smithmyer will reveal how different sides of the Civil War used objects associated with George Washington to represent America's Revolutionary values of liberty and equality.

First Manassas-- Bloody Gateway to War: Retired NPS historian John Hennessy revisits the First Battle of Manassas, the questions it raises and the lessons it can teach us about American nation at the time.

Gone with the Glory-- The Civil War in Movies: Brian Steel Wills examines how American cinema has offered its own versions of the Civil War, often reflecting the times in which films appear and the expectations that audiences of the time brought with them to the theater. Film, like fiction, has shown great difficulty in melding stories of historical subjects and facts, with Hollywood choosing entertainment over history. Yet, Civil War cinema has induced millions to learn more about the era's issues, events and personalities.

The Civil War Generals--Comrades, Peers, Rivals in their Own Words: Robert I. Girardi observes that many of the nearly 1,000 men who achieved the rank of general during the American Civil War Attended the same military academies and knew each other's strengths and weaknesses, regardless of which side they chose as their own. Many of these men wrote about their colleagues in candid and pointed terms. Here, we learn what they had to say about each other.

The Battle of Dranesville--Men and Horses Fell Around Me Like Ten Pins: Ryan Quint examines the fall and early winter of 1861, a hotbed of activity that culminated in the December combat at Dranesville. The Union victory-sorely needed after the string of defeats at Bull Run, Wilson's Creek and Ball's Bluff-was small when measured against what was to come, but it also helped shape the bloody years to follow.

Schedule is subject to change . Learn more at https://go.nps.gov/CWSeminar.

This annual seminar is sponsored by:Appomattox Court House National Historical Park; The Department of History, Political Science, & Philosophy, the Center for Southside Virginia History at Longwood University; and Eastern National.

-NPS-
About Appomattox Court House National Historical Park:On April 9, 1865, the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia in the McLean House in the village of Appomattox Court House, Virginia signaled the end of the nation's largest war. The stories of Appomattox Court House go far beyond the final significant battles of this nation's Civil War. Learn more at www.nps.gov/apco.

About the National Park Service: More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America's more than 430 national park units and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Visit us at www.nps.gov , on Facebook www.facebook.com/nationalparkservice , X www.twitter.com/natlparkservice , and YouTube www.youtube.com/nationalparkservice .