Breakout Sessions, Lectures & Tours

Keynote Sessions:

Lesson From the Road: What I've Learned in my "Travels"

History surrounds us. History connects us as a people. History is the thread of many of our stories. It is those stories that are brought to life in "Travels With Darley." Join Darley Newman for insights, stories, thoughts, and more from her travels and interactions with people, and history, from around the world. Learn how she and her team bring those stories to life. 

Session Type: Keynote Session 
Presenter: Darley Newman, Travels With Darley 
Subject Areas: Storytelling, Student Engagement, Technology in the Classroom
Time Period: Revolutionary War Era, Antebellum Civil War, Civil War Era, Modern US History  
Grade Level(s): All
 

From Gettysburg to Normandy...And Beyond: The Next Generation of History on YouTube

History has become more accessible than ever. With the click of a button or through a simple Google search, a wealth of information from articles, to websites, to primary documents are available to access 24/7. YouTube has become one the largest repositories of "history." YouTube channels, both good and bad, offer their take on any number of topics. As an educator, how do you separate the good from the bad? How do you utilize videos in the classroom? Should you utilize YouTube or is it just a fad? Join some of the leading content creators on the platform for an entertaining and insightful discussion of the good, the bad, and the ugly of history YouTube vloggers. Through their exciting content and unique online platforms, our panelists have reached millions and inspired a new generation of Americans. How do they do it - and where are they headed next? Join us to find out!

Session Type: Moderated Panel Discussion 
Presenter: JD Huitt (The History Underground), Chris Mowery (Vlogging Through History), Andrew Dalton (Adams County Historical Society)
Subject Areas: Classroom Resources, Student Engagement, Technology-in-the-Classroom
Time Period: Revolutionary War Era, War of 1812, Antebellum Civil War, Civil War Era, World War II, Modern US
Grade Level(s): Middle School, High School, College Level

General Sessions:

Boy Leaders at the Battle of Gettysburg

While the average age of a soldier during the American Civil War was just under 26 years old, many men wearing the blue and gray were much younger. Imagine not only serving in the ranks and fighting in battle but being a commissioned officer, giving orders and commanding troops at the tender age of 17, 18, or 19 years old. Join historian and author Wayne E. Motts as he explores some personal stories of young leaders during the Battle of Gettysburg.

Session Type: Lecture
Presenter: Wayne Motts, Author and Historian
Subject Areas: Leadership, Student Engagement 
Time Period: Civil War
Grade Level(s): All

The Whole Revolutionary War in 44 minutes

The Revolutionary War was a wildly complex event, spanning every socioeconomic, military, cultural, and geographic cross-section of the colonies, and far beyond.  Just one slice of any of these subjects could occupy a lifetime of research.  And yet, the massive conflagration consisted of a graspable list of truly key events, grand military movements, and questions answered. Whether you have been teaching the Revolution for decades or are new to the task, join Garry Adelman as he endeavors to cover all that is the AmericanRevolution and bring it all together in one energetic presentation. With the nation’s 250^thanniversary approaching, this is the perfect primer for pedagogists!

Session Type: Dynamic Lecture
Presenter: Garry Adelman, American Battlefield Trust
Subject Areas: Educator Education, Student Engagement, Technology-in-the-Classroom 
Time Period: Revolutionary War Era
Grade Level(s): All
 

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Breakout Sessions:

A Regimental Deep-Dive ~ or ~ “How the Iron Brigade Saved the Universe”

What an extremely unusual title, but it reflects how classroom teachers are challenged to find “the hook” that captures and holds their students’ attention and passion. Digging into the personalities of the men, families, and exploits of real people is a tried-and-true method of achieving that end. Join us as we dig deeply into the common soldiers of the “Calico” 6th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, part of the vaunted Iron Brigade of the West, and see how a deep-dive can connect students to history.

Session Type: Workshop
Presenter: David Wege, Retired Middle School Teacher/Principal
Subject Areas: Common Soldier, Critical Thinking, First Person Accounts, Genealogy, Memory Studies, Student Engagement 
Time Period: Civil War Era 
Grade Level(s): All

America's Greatest Maritime Disaster: The Sinking of the Sultana 

The sinking of the steamship Sultana in April of 1865 was America’s greatest maritime disaster - with the number of deaths estimated to be more than 1,800.  The disaster was worse than the Titanic or Lusitania, and yet it is a forgotten piece of history.  In this session, we will look at the causes of the sinking, the aftermath, who would take responsibility, and why it never received the attention of the press.  Also, we will discuss ways to use the Sultana tragedy in the classroom.

Session Type: Workshop
Presenter: Barb Kay, Retired High School Teacher
Subject Areas: Critical Thinking, Primary Sources
Time Period: Civil War Era
Grade Level(s): All
 

Boldness and Leadership in the American Revolution

What makes a leader, and what challenges come with being one?  Whether commanding troops, rallying support to a cause, or blazing a trail for others, there are many examples of people confronting extraordinary circumstances during the Revolutionary Era. Join staff from the Museum of the American Revolution to dive deeper into the stories of several individuals who navigated the complexities of this time period and come away with new stories or different perspectives about how boldness and leadership demonstrated by both extraordinary and everyday people shaped the time period.

Session Type: Workshop
Presenter: Michael Hensinger, Museum of the American Revolution
Subject Areas: Classroom Resources, Critical Thinking, Leadership
Time Period: Revolutionary War Era
Grade Level(s): All

Frederick Douglass: Forming the Language of Freedom

Lady Hellcats and the Dogs of War: How American Women in WWI Led the Women's Movement and Changed the World 

When American women donned uniforms and joined the armed forces of WWI, they had little idea of the enormous effects their actions would have on women's suffrage, empowerment, and emancipation through the 20th Century and beyond. This presentation addresses the actions and legacy of these unwitting leaders of a larger Women's Movement that inspired generations.

Session Type: Workshop
Presenter: Dr. Samantha Cavell, Southeastern Louisiana University 
Subject Areas: Civics, Leadership, Voters Rights, Women's Studies 
Time Period: World War I, Early 20th Century, Modern US
Grade Level(s): All

"Let us go forward, O comrades!": Captain Andrew Cailloux & The Struggle for Freedom

Andre Cailloux was the first Black officer killed in action during the American Civil War. His life experiences in New Orleans, in slavery, and as a freedman led to his leadership decisions to fight for liberty. Learn about his complicated path to military leadership, explore questions of rights and freedoms, and reflect on his legacy in local and national history. This presentation will include a primary source discussion and classroom-ready materials. 

Session Type: Workshop
Presenter: Sarah Kay Bierle, American Battlefield Trust 
Subject Areas: African-American Studies, Classroom Resources, Leadership, Primary Resources
Time Period: Antebellum Civil War, Civil War Era
Grade Level(s): Middle School, High School, College Level

“Life on the Front Lines”: Video Content on Historic Blakeley State Park’s Phone-Based Touring Platform

Historic Blakeley State Park is Alabama's largest Civil War battlefield. Seeking to help visitors better understand the soldier experience during the siege and battle that occurred on its property, the park recently began work on a new project designed to illustrate key aspects of the Fort Blakeley story through the use of high-quality video content. In this proposed presentation, park director Mike Bunn will discuss the goals of the project, the many logistical hurdles involved in its development, and how such projects can enliven interpretation at historic sites with engaging technology readily available to the great majority of guests.

Session Type: Workshop
Presenter: Mike Bunn, Fort Blakeley State Park
Subject Areas: Placed Based Learning, Student Engagement, Technology-in-the-Classroom
Time Period: Civil War Era
Grade Level(s): All
 

Lincoln’s Radical Foes: How Rivalries in the Republican Party Changed the Course of the Civil War

This session will examine leadership through opposition. Throughout the American Civil War, Abraham Lincoln was challenged to be aggressive—whether that meant appointing generals who would take the fight to the Confederacy, embracing emancipation as a war aim, or passing the Thirteenth Amendment. His biggest foes were often member of his own political party, who took a much more radical approach to the war than the moderate sixteenth president. Conflict among Republican Party leaders ultimately bolstered the Union war effort and in this session, we will discuss how leaders can learn from the example of Lincoln and his Radical foes.

Session Type: Lecture
Presenter: Cecily Zander, Texas Woman's University 
Subject Areas: Civics, Critical Thinking, Leadership, Student Engagement
Time Period: Civil War Era
Grade Level(s): Middle School, High School, College Level

Taking the Lead: Using “The Arts” in your classroom

Have you ever wondered as an educator: How do I get my students to care about History? How can I get their attention? How do we encourage them to become leaders? If you have, this session is for you! Through our educational adventure, we will use music, historic paintings, drawings, photographs, poetry, and video to find the American History stories that should allow our students to empathize/personalize our American History and become leaders in the classroom.

To conclude the session, we will discuss how we can preserve the “Hallowed Fields” so that our students and the next generation of Americans can explore, interpret, and awaken to our American History. I am looking forward to having you come along on our Educational Adventure at the 2024 American Battlefield Trust Teacher’s Institute.

Session Type: Workshop
Presenter: Robert Rinehart, Southampton Middle School
Subject Areas: Classroom Resources, Critical Thinking, Hands-On History, Student Engagement
Time Period: Revolutionary War Era, War of 1812, Civil War Era
Grade Level(s): All

The Battle of Liberty Place

Session description coming soon 

Session Type: Workshop
Presenter: Dr. Chris Mackowski
Subject Areas: 
Time Period: Reconstruction
Grade Level(s): Middle School, High School, College Level
 

Steamboatin' on the Western Rivers

From humble beginnings in the early 19th century, through the American Civil War, the Golden Age of Steamboatin', and on to the riverboats of today, we will take a look at the history of the vessels that have navigated these mighty rivers, and helped shape the country that we know today. Along the way, we will discuss different kinds of vessels, both hand and steam-powered, and explore the history of a unique American instrument, the steam Calliope, regarded as the "voice of the river."

Session Type: Lecture
Presenter: Matthew Dow, New Orleans Steamboat Company 
Subject Areas: Americana, Economics, Folklore, Technology
Time Period: Antebellum Civil War, Civil War Era, Reconstruction, Gilded Age, Early 20th Century 
Grade Level(s): All
 

Sessions to be announced

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Saturday Tours:

"An Almost Impossible Victory": The Battle of New Orleans, January 8, 1815

In the fall of 1814, following offensives in New York and the Chesapeake, British leadership turned its sights toward New Orleans. With initial operations along the Gulf Coast stymied by Maj. Gen. Andrew Jackson, the British landed below the city on December 23. The opposing sides sparred until January 8, 1815, when British Lt. Gen. Sir Edward Pakenham attacked Jackson’s position. In about thirty minutes, the British sustained over 2,000 casualties, including Pakenham. Jackson’s victory launched him to the Presidency and for the next half century, the Eighth of January was celebrated as a holiday in the United States.

Join Dan Davis, the Trust's Education Manager, and Phillip S. Greenwalt of Emerging Revolutionary War as we explore the Battle of New Orleans. We'll visit Jackson's Headquarters, Jean Lafitte's blacksmith shop, the Cabildo and other sites related to one of the most pivotal engagements American history.

Lunch is included with this tour.

A Walk Among the Tombstones: Historic Cemeteries of New Orleans

New Orleans is known for its iconic cemeteries. The statuary and memorials make up one of the greatest open air art collections in the world. Explore some of the iconic cemeteries in the area as you learn more about the areas burial and funeral practices as well as the lives of the people who make up these cities of the dead. 

Lunch is included with this tour.

"The eyes of the world are upon you," A Tour of the National World War II Museum

No visit to New Orleans is complete without a stop at the National World War II Museum. Join Kristopher White and the staff of the National World War II Museum for an exploration of this impressive (and massive) facility. You'll experience their 4-D movie "Beyond All Boundaries", then take part in a guided tour of the galleries with one of the museum's staff. You'll have time to explore on your own...and there may even be a special surprise for a few of the attendees.  

Lunch is included with this tour.
 

The Occupied and the Occupiers: Civil War New Orleans

New Orleans was the largest city in the Southern Confederacy. The fall of the city to Federal forces in April of 1862, was a major blow to the Confederate war effort. With the Mississippi River sealed off from the rest of the world, and an occupying force among the population, war time reconstruction began. Learn more about the campaign to capture New Orleans and the short and long-term impact it had on the military occupiers and the civilian population. 

Join professors Chris Mackowski and Neil Chatelain as you explore Civil War sites in the French Quarter, visit Confederate Memorial Hall, trek to the Chalmette Battlefield, and learn more about the history of New Orleans during the Civil War era. 

Lunch is included with this tour.

Sunday Tours:

Laissez Le Bon Temps Rouler! A Walking Tour of the French Quarter

Take a stroll through New Orleans history on a walking tour of the French Quarter’s most important sites. Enjoy views of the broad Mississippi River as you hear about the city’s past and browse the best of the neighborhood’s distinctive boutiques. Get a glimpse of New Orleans’ multicultural roots in the French Market and Old Ursuline Convent then trace the elegant ironwork along Royal Street. Hear about the Big Easy’s most iconic writers and immerse yourself in the city’s culture while exploring the city at a relaxed pace.

Lunch is NOT included with this tour. 

A Visit to Antebellum New Orleans: The Destrehan Plantation

Few Southern plantations bring the past to life as brilliantly as the costumed historic interpreters at Destrehan Plantation. They’ll take you from room to room in the Big House, sharing tales of the people, both free and enslaved, who lived here during outbreaks of yellow fever and before and after the Civil War.

You’ll learn about plantation architecture, view one-of-a-kind documents, and discover history in a way you just can’t get from a book. You’ll get a chance to view family treasures.  You’ll see a registry listing the names of the enslaved people who lived and worked on the plantation, and you’ll step inside an actual slave cabin, where you can see how the enslaved lived. 

Lunch is NOT included with this tour.

A Walk Among the Tombstones: Historic Cemeteries of New Orleans

New Orleans is known for its iconic cemeteries. The statuary and memorials make up one of the greatest open air art collections in the world. Explore some of the iconic cemeteries in the area as you learn more about the areas burial and funeral practices as well as the lives of the people who make up these cities of the dead. 

Lunch is NOT included with this tour.

"An Almost Impossible Victory": The Battle of New Orleans, January 8, 1815

In the fall of 1814, following offensives in New York and the Chesapeake, British leadership turned its sights toward New Orleans. With initial operations along the Gulf Coast stymied by Maj. Gen. Andrew Jackson, the British landed below the city on December 23. The opposing sides sparred until January 8, 1815, when British Lt. Gen. Sir Edward Pakenham attacked Jackson’s position. In about thirty minutes, the British sustained over 2,000 casualties, including Pakenham. Jackson’s victory launched him to the Presidency and for the next half century, the Eighth of January was celebrated as a holiday in the United States.

Join Dan Davis, the Trust's Education Manager, and Phillip S. Greenwalt of Emerging Revolutionary War as we explore the Battle of New Orleans and the Chalmette Battlefield.

Lunch is NOT included with this tour.

"They fight to liberate." A Tour of the National World War II Museum

World War II touched nearly every corner of the earth, including New Orleans, Louisiana. It was here that Higgins Industries produced the famous Higgins Boat landing craft, and today, the city is home to the nation's premium museum honoring America's fight during the Second World War. Join the education staff of the National World War II Museum to learn more about their classroom offerings. You'll enjoy their 4-D movie experience, "Beyond all Boundaries" and have access to all of the galleries that make up this world-class facility. 

Lunch is NOT included with this tour.
 

Add-On Experiences: 

Note: All add-on experiences are at an additional expense to the attendee and are not refundable after the event. 

Behind the Scenes at Confederate Memorial Hall

Go behind the scenes at Louisiana's oldest museum and the second-largest repository of Confederate artifacts in the world-Confederate Memorial Hall. 

Head into the vault (YES, they have an actual vault) to take part in hands-on learning as curator Pat Ricci pulls artifacts for their vast collection and helps you to find those classroom connections to the past. This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that you don't want to miss.

Brothels, Bordellos and Ladies of the Night Tour with 2Chicks Walking Tours

This 2-hour walking tour takes in some of the lesser-known history of New Orleans' French Quarter. Led by local female guides from 2 Chicks Walking Tours, you'll avoid the tourist-only locales as you learn about the area, and stop for classic New Orleans adult refreshments in to-go cups. Starting near the river and concluding near the back of town, this small-group tour highlights the plight of women working in the world's oldest profession from a female perspective.

Dinner and Cooking Demo at the New Orleans School of Cooking

Enjoy an evening cooking demonstration and dinner at the world-famous New Orleans School of Cooking. Learn about the Cajun "holy trinity." Enjoy the world-famous and New Orleans's own creation, Bananas Foster. A three-course meal follows the demonstration, featuring some of the area's iconic dishes.

Happy Hour Walking Tour of the French Quarter

Grab a go-cup, let's roll! From our meet-up at Harry's Bar in the lower French Quarter, the quiet streets lead under the oaks of elegant Esplanade Avenue to the Faubourg Marigny. With history spanning the Transatlantic slave trade to Civil War & Reconstruction, architecture, and secrets of the city at every turn, this “happy hour” tour is a perfect prelude to a night of music, food and fabulous fun on Frenchmen Street with Ask Arthur Walking Tours!
 

Magazine Street Foodie Tour

Venture off the eaten path and dine like a local!

New Orleanians LOVE food, but they rarely go to the French Quarter to eat. Why? Because many of the best restaurants are located right in our neighborhoods!

One such foodie paradise for locals is Magazine Street. Join us as we eat our way through part of the famed Garden District, a vibrant neighborhood in Uptown, where locals of all ages come together to shop, sip, and sup in true New Orleanian fashion.

Let us treat you to New Orleans-style food most visitors don’t think to order on their own. Your meal will include 3 to 4 sit-down savory restaurants for a total of 6 menu items, each specifically selected for its historical or cultural significance to New Orleans (as well as its great flavor)! Our final stop will delight your sweet tooth with a delicious dessert!

The Greatest Real Estate Transaction in American History

The Louisiana Purchase was the greatest land transaction in the history of the United States. While the paperwork was signed in Paris, the official transfer took place at the Cabildo in New Orleans.

Join the staff of the Louisiana State Museum for an on-site workshop at the Cabildo, and then tour the museum and the adjacent Presbytere Museum on Jackson Square.