Gettysburg 1963: Civil Rights, Cold War Politics, and Historical Memory in America's Most Famous Small Town

Civil War America

by Jill Ogline Titus

The year 1963 was unforgettable for Americans. In the midst of intense Cold War turmoil and the escalating struggle for Black freedom, the United States also engaged in a nationwide commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the Civil War. Commemorative events centered on Gettysburg, site of the best-known, bloodiest, and most symbolically charged battle of the conflict. Inevitably, the centennial of Lincoln's iconic Gettysburg Address received special focus, pressed into service to help the nation understand its present and define its future--a future that would ironically include another tragic event days later with the assassination of another American president.

In this fascinating work, Jill Ogline Titus uses centennial events in Gettysburg to examine the history of political, social, and community change in 1960s America. Examining the experiences of political leaders, civil rights activists, preservation-minded Civil War enthusiasts, and local residents, Titus shows how the era's deep divisions thrust Gettysburg into the national spotlight and ensured that white and Black Americans would define the meaning of the battle, the address, and the war in dramatically different ways.

Genres: Civil War, History, Nonfiction, American History

244 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2021

Reviews

[Kusaimamekirai · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve never met Jill Ogline Titus but this book makes me think she’s definitely met me.
It’s in hindsight such a necessary book in that it combines Gettysburg, Civil Rights, Lost Cause mythology, and Communism during the centennial celebrations at Gettysburg in 1963 that I wonder why it has never been written before.
There is so much fascinating information here, not only about the almost at times farcical planning committee at Gettysburg who gave space to speakers like arch-segregationists like George Wallace, but also the legacy of the centennial which saw numerous Southern states in the following decade erect monuments on the battlefield with homages to the Lost Cause.
What was not discussed often during the festivities was race. While some speakers alluded to the fact that black tourists to Gettysburg couldn’t stay in the city’s hotels or eat in its restaurants, the planners focused instead on a theme of reconciliation where North and South have buried their differences to come together as one nation. That this nation excluded black citizens in most aspects of life was not something to be spoken of.
It is easy perhaps to say that this was 1963 but as William Faulkner’s quote about the past not even being past reminds us, it’s not that simple.
That Donald Trump wanted to make his speech announcing his candidacy for President here, and that Joe Biden in the closing days of the campaign did (as well as well as several armed white supremacist groups appearing here in recent years), shows that the space at Gettysburg continues to be one where America’s dialogue over race and memory continue to rage.

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short on pages but long on information, this book will hold the attention of any Gettysburg fan. Though dry in spots, I really enjoyed the chapter about the cyclorama in particular, as well as the descriptions of the “vignettes” from the 1963 centennial. I was not at all surprised to learn that the history presented at the centennial was historically inaccurate, haha.

I would have liked to have seen the epilogue expanded to a chapter about Gettysburg post 2008 opening of their new visitors center, but I understand that wasn’t the focus of the book.

As a child our annual summer road trips started with a first night or two at Gettysburg. We ate dinner at Farnsworth House whose little vignette about the Underground Railroad fascinated me. We got fudge in the square. I saw a ghost (or three) at the Holiday Inn and waxed poetic about Jennie Wade laying under a sheet in her basement. We sat through the electric map presentation and saw the cyclorama. Air conditioned bus tours took my family and other sweaty white people around the battlefield. Stop, get off, take a picture. Repeat indefinitely. Somewhere I’m sure I have those pictures and I should go back to see what 12 year old me deemed important. I haven’t been back since college, however, so I have not seen the “new” visitors center and interpretations. No doubt they are an improvement and I hope to see them soon.

[Brandon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful history of the Gettysburg centennial that illuminates the various ideas, emotions, and narratives that influenced it. The types of things Titus analyzes - speeches, buildings, photos, and parades - are varied and offer something to any reader. I'm most impressed by how well she reads the absences at each event. Titus manages to understand and contextualize the nonevents of the centennial just as well as she writes about the events themselves. This book is a great resource for those who are interested in Civil War Memory. This book fits snugly alongside such great memory authors like Jennifer Murray and Carol Reardon.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I saw this book, I knew I had to read it. I am currently preparing for the Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield guide examination in case you have not read my previous reviews, so I am trying to learn as much about the town and battle as I can. This book was excellent. I learned about a lot about the town. There was segregation in Gettysburg and the African-American citizens of the town were treated horribly. There was a Ku Klux Klan presence in the town and even met near the Peace Memorial. In fact, the Klan viewed it as a white supremacist symbol because it represented the unity of white men. Prior to reading this book, I had wondered why JFK did not come for the centennial, and this book succinctly explains why. I also did not know the Gettysburg Address was used during the Cold War as propaganda. There was also a debate about how to remember the battle and what it represented. Some saw it as the first step in freedom for African-Americans and there was still more to fight for in regards to this issue whereas others did not see that at all.

I enjoyed this book and will definitely use the anecdotes when I am a guide and will read it again. This is a minor complaint, but some parts of the book were a bit slow in the beginning. I must say that is not the majority of the book, just a sliver. You may feel differently. Highly recommend otherwise and kudos to Jill Ogline Titus for writing this original and must needed book.

[Philip Levinton · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very interesting read. This book contrasts the spirit of the Gettysburg Address ("New Birth of Freedom") in 1863 with the reality of life in Gettysburg in 1963 (The Centennial) with its racist treatment of blacks - limited housing and employment opportunities among other things. It also discusses the new Confederate monuments that were erected in this period, and the Lost Cause myth they supported.

As a frequent visitor to Gettysburg, I found it eye opening.