March 23-25, 2012
Registration: $270 per person and includes all meals
The Civil War abides deep in the American soul, and it will not go away. Nor should it. Our nation as we know it began life in 1865 by underscoring one word (federalism) and by eliminating another word (slavery) from the vocabulary. Further, the Civil War shapes past and present as does no other event in the national heritage. Because Virginia played such a prominent role in the conflict, and because the state suffered more military destruction than any other area in the Western Hemisphere has known, her ordeal will always command remembrance and respect.
Today, Virginia Tech plays an increasing pivotal role in the ongoing popularity of the Civil War. Frequent vignettes on Roanoke public radio, hour-long documentaries for Blue Ridge Public Television, an annual week-long summer seminar, plus the “Civil War Weekend,” are but 
highlights of the Virginia Center for Civil War Studies, which represents the university’s attention and commitment to Civil War history.
Until his retirement in June 2011 these programs were coordinated by James I. Robertson, Jr., Alumni Distinguished Professor of History at Virginia Tech. In June William C. Davis took over as Director. Between them these two historians have almost 80 books to their credit, and having had two such distinguished scholars of the Civil War on the same faculty gives Virginia Tech a unique distinction.
The 21st annual Civil War Weekend will be held March 23-25, 2012 at the Hotel Roanoke & Conference Center in the heart of downtown Roanoke, VA.