Jerry L. Russell

Jerry Russell (1933-2003) was one of the earliest and most outspoken advocates for Civil War battlefield preservation, serving as a national voice for the movement long before the creation of the Association for the Preservation of Civil War Sites in 1987. His tireless efforts helped raise awareness of threats to America's historic battlefields and mobilize preservation supporters across the country.

An Arkansas public relations specialist and political consultant, Russell found his true calling in fighting the tide of development threatening Civil War battlefields from the 1960s until his death in 2003.

He co-founded the Civil War Round Table of Arkansas in 1964 and helped establish numerous other round tables in the years that followed. In 1968, he founded Civil War Round Table Associates, serving as its national chairman and editor of its newsletter.

Brash and outspoken, Russell used his publication as an often-acerbic, never-silent megaphone for preservation, urging readers to write their senators, representatives and other public officials to fight the destruction of hallowed ground at battlefield after battlefield.

Russell passed away in 2003, leaving a lasting legacy as a pioneering voice in the modern battlefield preservation movement. His determination and advocacy helped inspire the organized preservation efforts that continue to protect America's historic battlefields today.