Author, historian, MSU alumnus to present lecture, book signing
Contact: Pattye Archer
STARKVILLE, Miss.鈥擬ississippi State University Libraries is bringing home one of the university鈥檚 distinguished alumni for a lecture and book signing on April 4.
U.S. Civil War military historian and MSU alumnus Timothy B. Smith will discuss his latest book 鈥淏ayou Battles for Vicksburg: The Swamp and River Expeditions, January 1-April 30, 1863鈥 (University Press of Kansas, 2023) during the 6 p.m. event which is free and open to the public. The book is Smith鈥檚 fourth in his five-volume history of the Vicksburg Campaign.
Susannah J. Ural, the university鈥檚 Frank and Virginia Williams Chair for Abraham Lincoln and Civil War Studies, said the lecture is hosted by the Frank and Virginia Williams Collection of Lincolniana and the Ulysses S. Grant Presidential Library, along with MSU Libraries, and will be in the John Grisham Room, third floor, Mitchell Memorial Library.
鈥淒r. Smith is an award-winning historian of the U.S. Civil War and a recognized authority on the military history of the western theater of operations鈥攚hich includes campaigns from Atlanta to the Mississippi River,鈥 Ural said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 always a hit with audiences, whether on the battlefield tours or the lecture circuit, and we鈥檙e excited for this opportunity to host him at MSU.鈥
鈥淚t鈥檚 natural for MSU鈥檚 two premier Civil War collections to collaborate on events like these,鈥 she said. 鈥淭his is especially true for an event focused on the Vicksburg Campaign, which was central to Ulysses S. Grant鈥檚 career and to his relationship with President Abraham Lincoln.鈥
Executive Director of the Grant Presidential Library Anne Marshall agreed.
鈥淲e are partnering in order to bring related scholarly content to the public,鈥 Marshall said.
Organizers scheduled the event for Thursday evening, allowing community members to attend, Ural said. The campus gates will be raised at 5 p.m. for easier parking.
鈥淲e hope to fill the Grisham Room with our university and regional supporters on Thursday evening, and that includes our students,鈥 Ural said. 鈥淏eyond what they can learn from this celebrated historian, I think they鈥檒l be excited to hear from a fellow Bulldog alumnus.鈥
For more information on the Williams Collection of Lincolnian, visit . For more information on the Grant Presidential Library, visit .
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