Our Civil War was the first "visual" event in American history. The public of the time not only saw the birth of photography, they were also kept informed about the war through illustrated newspapers, mass produced engravings, magic lantern shows, exhibited paintings, and illustrated letters from loved ones. Of the many artists, trained and amateur, many were eye witnesses to the events they recorded and their legacy has enriched our lives immeasurably. This presentation takes a look at these men. An exhibition of original period artwork will accompany the program.

Our speaker is Earl Robinson, a principal in a medical product design firm in Orange County, who graduated from the University of Kansas in Lawrence. His Civil War memories go back to visiting "John Brown's lookout" near Osawatomie as a small boy and witnessing the war's centennial as a pre-teen. He is an avid collector of Civil War artifacts, a member of West Coast Civil War Collectors (www.westcoastcwc.com), owner of Reunion Civil War Antiques (http://reunion.omnica.com/), and a Director of the Drum Barracks Civil War Museum. He has had articles published in Military Images and North South Trader's Civil War magazines. His wife Cathy is a Virginian whose great grandfather was Confederate General George Pickett's orderly.

Come and learn how these artists documented the Civil War they lived through.

Janet Whaley
Program Chair

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