ANDERSONVILLE — Andersonville National Historic Site hosts its annual Civil War Living History Weekend on Saturday, March 16 and Sunday, March 17. This living history program offers visitors the opportunity to gain a better understanding of what life was like at Camp Sumter, the infamous military prison near Andersonville, during the last days of the Civil War. Volunteer living historians will portray Union prisoners, Confederate guards, and civilians.
A variety of programs will be offered on both days, including guard drill and artillery demonstrations. Living historians will be present in the area of the prison site from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Saturday, and from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. on Sunday. Junior Ranger Programs and tours of the Prison Site will occur each afternoon. Angie Zombek will give a special presentation on both days about Catholics in Captivity: Finding God at Andersonville. There is no admission fee and this event is open to the public. For more information, go to nps.gov/ande/planyourvisit/livinghistoryweekend.htm
Angela M. Zombek is assistant professor of History at University of North Carolina-Wilmington. She is the author of numerous articles and essays, including “Paternalism and Imprisonment at Castle Thunder: Reinforcing Gender Norms in the Confederate Capital,” which appeared in the scholarly journal, Civil War history in September 2017; “Citizenship — Compulsory or Convenient: Federal Officials, Confederate Prisoners, and the Oath of Allegiance,” in Paul J. Ouigley’s edited volume, The American Civil War and the Transformation of Citizenship, (LSU Press, forthcoming, Summer 2018); and “Catholics in Captivity: Priests, Prisoners, and the Living Faith in Civil War Military Prisons,” in Michael P Gray’s edited volume, Civil War Prisons II (forthcoming from Kent State University Press). Her first book, Penitentiaries, Punishment, and Military Prisons: Familiar Responses to an Extraordinary Crisis during the American Civil War, is forthcoming from Kent State University Press in June. Zombek’s current research focuses on the Civil War’s impact on the Florida Gulf Coast and Key West. She has presented some of her research on Unionism in Civil War Era Tampa Bay, and is currently researching prisoners of war at Fort Taylor (Key West), and Key West under martial law.