Civil War historians will headline the annual Kennedy Lecture from 6-7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 4, in Giffels Auditorium. A reception will follow. The panel will discuss the role of communities in shaping the contours of the Civil War as highlighted in the recently published Hundreds of Little Wars: Community, Conflict, and the Real Civil War.

U of A professor Patrick Williams, who wrote the introduction to the volume, will introduce panel. Representing an innovative group of Civil War historians, the participants include:

• Matthew Stith, moderator, associate professor of history, University of Texas at Tyler
• Christopher Phillips, panelist; the John and Dorothy Hermanies Professor of American History and University Distinguished Professor in the Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences; University of Cincinnati
• Madeleine C. Forrest, panelist, assistant professor of history, Virginia Military Institute
• G. David Schieffler, panelist, instructor of history, Crowder College

According to historian Daniel E. Sutherland, whose many books and essays helped establish the field of Civil War community studies, varied assemblages of individuals from Texas to Virginia experienced and fought the "real war." Following his lead, the four panelists — all contributors to Hundreds of Little Wars — reveal how viewing the war from the vantage point of singular communities allows us to better understand the larger conflict.

The panelists will contend that no single conflict defined the Civil War. Instead, hundreds of wars existed, variously categorized by geography, race, gender, environment and myriad other factors. Only by concentrating on these communities can we grasp the scope and complexity of the Civil War.

The lecture is free and open to the public.