It’s always a pleasure talking with my friend and fellow historian Barbara Gannon. Barbara teaches history at the University of Central Florida and specializes in the Civil War era and military history. She is the author of two books, including Americans Remember Their Civil War (2017) and The Won Cause: Black and White Comradeship in the Grand Army of the Republic (2011).
The Won Cause is a groundbreaking study of race relations in the GAR that every serious student of the Civil War should have on their bookshelf.
Today’s conversation was prompted by a comment that Barbara left on a social media post about the ongoing situation at Gettysburg National Military Park surrounding the beaver colony along Plum Run Valley at the base of Little Round Top.
Two weeks ago I had a wonderful conversation with historian Jen Murray about this issue and thought that Barbara’s perspective would be worth showcasing as well as we continue to think through the issues involved.
During our conversation, Barbara talked about her and her student’s ongoing work to identify and commemorate the Black United States soldiers buried at the Olustee battlefield in Florida.
I thoroughly enjoyed my conversation Barbara and I hope you will benefit from it as well.
Beavers, Gettysburg, and Civil War Memory: A Conversation with Barbara Gannon