ELIZABETH, NJ – The conclusion of the American Civil War will be the subject of a special lecture by Dr. Jonathan Lurie of Rutgers University on Wednesday, April 15, at 2:00 p.m. at the Union County Courthouse in Elizabeth. Sponsored by the Union County Civil War Sesquicentennial Committee, the free afternoon event entitled “The Ongoing Relevance of the Civil War: Ambiguity and Ambivalence” is open to the public and includes exhibits about the Civil War and a special display case focusing on President Abraham Lincoln.
“As we commemorate the 150th anniversary of the end of the Civil War, we are honored to have Dr. Jonathan Lurie speak here about the legacy of the conflict,” said Union County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi, chairwoman of the committee. “We welcome visitors to the Courthouse to learn more about the Civil War, the presidency of Abraham Lincoln and the experiences of Union County residents during the war.”
Dr. Lurie is a Professor Emeritus in the Department of History at Rutgers University (Newark), where he was a Professor of History and Law from 1985 to 2009. During his career at Rutgers, Dr. Lurie also was a Visiting Fellow in Law and History at Harvard Law School; an Historian and Archivist to the United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces; and a Visiting Professor of Law at the United States Military Academy at West Point.
The lecture by Dr. Lurie will be presented in the Courtroom of the Hon. Karen M. Cassidy, Assignment Judge of the Superior Court, at 2 p.m. Musicians from the Continuo Arts Foundation will perform songs from the Civil War era. To reserve a seat, please call 908-527-4999.
The Civil War Exhibition is on display until May in the rotunda of the Union County Courthouse, 2 Broad Street in historic midtown Elizabeth. The exhibit may be viewed weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
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