According to many people the Civil War officially ended in 1865 when the last Confederate Army surrendered to Union forces in the Trans-Mississippi Region. Once the shooting stopped the conflict was over; and it was expected that the country would get back to "things as usual." Unfortunately the former Confederates seemingly had other plans; and for the next twelve years (1865-1877) their actions forced the United States government to control them until they were officially reconstructed enough to rejoin the Union.

Others argue that since reunifying the Union was President Lincoln's initial war aim it was logical that reconstruction should start during the war and continue to successful completion. According to many historians, it was the Reconstruction Period that did greater damage to the country and that many of our current racial problems actually stem from this period and not from the war itself.

At our October meeting we will look at the Reconstruction Period (1863-1877) by reviewing the four re-unification plans, the agenda driving each plan, each plan's overall success, and how they may have or did affect the country.

Our speaker, David Wilkerson, M.A., is a founding member of the Inland Empire Civil War Round Table. He received his B.A. and M.A. in History from the University of California, Riverside, and is currently the Senior Archivist with Johnson Controls, Inc., a Department of Defense contractor. David is an adjunct faculty instructor at Chapman University's Moreno Valley campus, lecturing about various elements of American history and Western Civilization. He has also taught for Crafton Hills College, Chaffey College, Mt. San Jacinto College, and California State University, San Bernardino.

Come join us as we learn more about the battles waged long after the war had ceased.

Janet Whaley
Program Chair

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