Women on the Border: Maryland Perspectives of the Civil War

During the 2011-2012 academic year Special Collections of the University of Maryland Libraries commemorate the sesquicentennial of the American Civil War with the Maryland Room Gallery exhibition "Women on the Border: Maryland Perspectives of the Civil War." This exhibition seeks to demonstrate the importance of viewing American Civil War history through the lens of women's and gender history; to illustrate the particularities of living within the "border state" of Maryland; and to promote a deeper understanding of how historical documents are preserved, used, and interpreted.

In addition, the exhibition showcases some of the University Libraries' rare and manuscript materials related to the Civil War, almost all of which are from the University Libraries' Special Collections. This exhibition focuses on the lives and experiences of ordinary women living in the state of Maryland during the war, using letters, diaries, photographs, sheet music, rare books, and other special collections materials as sources.

A companion exhibit entitled "A College Divided: Maryland Agricultural College and the Civil War" is also on display in the Audrey Armistead Ruckert Reception Foyer of Hornbake Library. This exhibit highlights the impact the Civil War had on the Maryland Agricultural College, then the name of the university's College Park campus, by exploring the varied roles played by students, stockholders, faculty, and administrators, on both sides of the conflict.

The Civil War had a profound impact on the state of Maryland and the United States. We encourage visitors to take advantage of both of these exhibitions in Hornbake Library.

You may also view the online version of the "Women on the Border" exhibition.