Events Marking the 150th Anniversary of the Civil War in Atlanta Kick-Off Saturday, May 3rd, 2014

ATLANTA – The Atlanta Civil War Sesquicentennial Commission, which was established to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Civil War in Atlanta, is pleased to announce the kick-off event to this year’s celebrations.

This kick-off will begin at 10 a.m. on Saturday, May 3rd at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library, 441 Freedom Pkwy, Atlanta, GA 30307. The theme of this year’s events will be “Civil War to Civil Rights – Our 150 Year Journey.”

The opening ceremonies include W. Todd Groce, President and CEO of the Georgia Historical Society, who will be the first of several guests to set the stage for the rest of the activities to come. The topic of Dr. Groce’s discussion will be Civil War Atlanta:  Why it Still Matters.

Afterwards, visitors are invited to tour other participating venues around the city, which will have free tours and activities. Free trolleys will shuttle the visitors to and from the venues throughout the day, including Oakland Cemetery, the Grant Mansion, Cyclorama and the East Atlanta Village, which is the site of the battlefield. Schedules and maps will be provided.

Kick-Off Events

10:00 a.m. Opening Ceremonies and guest speakers at the Jimmy Carter Library

12:00 p.m – 4:00 p.m. Atlanta History Center will have a special exhibit on the war in Atlanta at the antebellum Grant Mansion, the headquarters of the Atlanta Preservation Center.  The exhibit is titled, Preserved on Glass: Photographs of Civil War Atlanta. These are views of Atlanta taken by Sherman's photographer, George N. Barnard.

1:00 p.m. Dedication of the new Civil War Monument in the East Atlanta Village

1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. Sweet Auburn Tour led by the Atlanta Preservation Center

2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. Tour of Fort Walker in Grant Park led by David Mitchell

2:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. The Oakland Cemetery Tour: Oakland and the Civil War

2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. “Frontlines to Front Porch” an Illustrated tour of the battlefield in the East Atlanta Village

3:00 p.m. “Salute to Fallen Heroes” Georgia Armory Guard re-enactment at McPherson Monument

All Day - Visit the Atlanta Cyclorama & Civil War Museum in Grant Park to view a depiction of the Battle of Atlanta in the world’s largest oil painting  (Open 9:15 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.)

5:00 p.m. Happy Hour on the Front Lines – Join re-enactors and others for refreshments in East Atlanta

For more information, call the Sesquicentennial Commission: 404.330.6048.