277: The Civil War in the 21st Century: A New Museum Marks an Old Conflict

On May 4, 2019, the American Civil War Museum opens in Richmond,
Virginia. It’s a historic endeavor, building upon a merger of
several museums and historical sites in the region, including the
former Museum of the Confederacy. 





The museum’s goal is to tell an inclusive and balanced version of
the Civil War. But for an event that’s arguably the most
contentious conflict in American history, that’s a tall order.





So on this episode, BackStory gets an exclusive behind-the-scenes
look at the museum to explore what it means to tell new
narratives of the Civil War in public spaces. 

Image: "Storming Fort Wagner," chromolithograph by Kurz &
Allison-Art Publishers, shows Union soldiers storming the walls
of Fort Wagner on Morris Island, South Carolina, and engaging
some Confederate soldiers in hand-to-hand combat. Source: Library
of Congress 





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