Civil War in 50 Objects Centerpiece of Rotating Installations This Summer at the New-York Historical Society

The Civil War in 50 Objects (Viking) by Harold Holzer and the New-York Historical Society,with an introduction by Eric Foner, is a fascinating examination of the event that changed the course of American history as told through fifty key objects from the collection of the New-York Historical Society. Released to honor the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg, The Civil War in 50 Objects brings to life a seminal period in the life of a tenuous young nation.

This acclaimed new book will be the centerpiece of a rotating series of summer installations throughout the New-York Historical Society, featuring highlights of its collection of more than one million Civil War objects. The initial installation, with objects currently on view, will include a small pair of wrist shackles sized to fit an infant, and Louis Lang's iconic painting The Return of the 69th (Irish) Regiment, N.Y.S.M. from the Seat of War (1862-63). The second rotation, beginning in mid-June, will include a medieval-looking pike that was one of hundreds that John Brown intended to bestow on his planned army to raid Harper's Ferry in 1859, and framed laurel leaves from Abraham Lincoln's bier while he lay in state at New York City Hall in 1865. Additional items from the library collections will be highlighted in a digital series just outside the entrance to the Patricia D. Klingenstein Library on the museum's second floor, including Ulysses S. Grant's handwritten terms of surrender for Robert E. Lee at Appomattox in 1865, and the manuscript of the Thirteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

On Monday, May 13, Harold Holzer, in discussion with Eric Foner, will offer a unique and intimate look on the history of the Civil War through the New- York Historical Society's renowned collection followed by a book signing. The program begins at 6:30 PM.

On Father's Day, June 16, at noon, Harold Holzer will sign copies of The Civil War in 50 Objects and Lincoln: How Abraham Lincoln Ended Slavery in America, his recent young reader's companion book for Steven Spielberg'sLincoln. As the "Historian in the Hot Seat," he also will engage families in thoughtful discussion about the Civil War, exploring issues such as how brothers and cousins fought each other on opposite sides of the war, what soldiers ate while on the march, and sharing the origins of "Stonewall" Jackson's nickname. Families are encouraged to explore the museum by taking a Civil War Scavenger Hunt.