Gettysburg National Military Park and the Gettysburg Foundation are pleased to announce and co-host at the Gettysburg National Military Park Museum & Visitor Center the annual Sacred Trust Talks & Book Signings event Saturday through Monday, July 1, 2 and 3, 2023. A special musical evening Friday, June 30, 2023, will kick off the 160th Anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg and the Sacred Trust programming.
On Friday, June 30, 2023, at 7 p.m. Ryan Mascilak and the Marching Still Ensemble will perform "Marching Still: A Musical Tribute to Civil War Poetry" in the Kinsley Theater inside the Museum & Visitor Center. Marching Still is a collection of poems written by various authors about the American Civil War set to original music composed, arranged and performed by composer Ryan Mascilak. The June 30 performance is free and open to the public. Tickets or reservations are not required. The doors open at 6:30 p.m. Seating is available on a first come, first served basis.
From Saturday, July 1 through Monday, July 3, 2023, daytime talks will be presented from 9:30 a.m. until 5 p.m., with talks each evening at 7 p.m. Sacred Trust 2023 will feature 15 talks – four talks each day in an event tent on the front lawn and one talk each evening in the Kinsley Theater inside the Museum & Visitor Center. All talks are free, with the daytime talks open to the public (no ticket required) and the evening programs ticketed for theater seating. Authors will be signing books during each day’s programming in the main lobby inside the Museum & Visitor Center, with the evening book signings in the museum lobby. Books are available to purchase during the event and book signings.
“We are excited to co-host Sacred Trust Talks & Book Signings with our National Park Service partner,” said Gettysburg Foundation President and CEO Wayne E. Motts. “The commemorative event is an excellent way area residents and visitors to Gettysburg can experience history and gain a variety of perspectives with topics related to the American Civil War and our American history. The Sacred Trust event is the perfect way to come together to commemorate the 160th Anniversary of the battle,” added Motts.
Sacred Trust 2023 features renowned authors, historians and National Park Service Rangers presenting talks on the American Civil War and its cultural impacts, leadership lessons, true stories and myths, and elements of those historical events still relevant today. The following is this year’s schedule of presenters:
Saturday, July 1, 2023
Daytime Talks: 9:30 a.m. Robert O’Neill | 11 a.m. Allison M. Johnson, Ph.D. | 1:30 p.m. Ronald S. Coddington | 3 p.m. Doug Douds
New for 2023: A Sacred Trust Evening: Provisions & Civil War History features dinner and cocktails (cash bar), a meet and greet with the evening presenter William C. “Jack" Davis and the free Sacred Trust Talk. Tickets are required and are now available for the July 1 evening. The purchase of a dinner reservation offers early access to a free ticket for the 7 p.m. Talk. Dinner reservations close June 12, 2023.
July 1 Evening program schedule:
- 5 p.m. | Dinner & Cocktails (cash bar) | Meet & Greet with William C. “Jack” Davis | Refreshment Saloon
- 6 to 6:45 p.m. | Book Signing | Museum Lobby
- 7 to 8 p.m. | Kinsley Theater | "The President and His General: Lee and Davis, A Partnership that Worked" with retired Virginia Center for Civil War Studies Executive Director, former book and magazine editor, A&E and History Channel series Civil War Journal senior advisor and author William C. “Jack" Davis | Ticket required
- 8 to 8:30 p.m. | Book Signing | Museum Lobby
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Sunday, July 2, 2023
Daytime Talks: 9:30 a.m. Brian Steel Wills, Ph.D. | 11 a.m. Dan Welch | 1:30 p.m. Tamika Nunley | 3 p.m. Wayne E. Motts
Evening Talk: 7 p.m. | “A Conversation with Jeff Shaara” | Ticket required
Bestselling author Jeff Shaara will discuss the inspiration for some of his works related to American history in a conversation with Gettysburg Foundation President and CEO Wayne E. Motts. Shaara will share some of his thoughts behind his processes for selecting themes, working on and researching subjects, writing and creating his books. The audience will have the opportunity and are encouraged to ask questions as part of the evening’s conversation.
Monday, July 3, 2023
Daytime Talks: 9:30 a.m. John D. Hoptak | 11 a.m. Megan L. Bever, Ph.D. | 1:30 p.m. Patrick Brennan | 3 p.m. Sarah Handley-Cousins, Ph.D.
7 p.m. | "Bruce Catton and the Army of the Potomac Trilogy" with University of Virginia John L. Nau III Professor of History Emeritus, Association for the Preservation of Civil War Sites co-founder and first president and author Gary W. Gallagher, Ph.D. | Ticket required
Reservations are required for the July 1 evening dinner and social. Free public tickets are required to attend all three of the evening talks for theater seating. After the July 1 evening dinner reservations close June 12, free tickets will be offered singly for each evening talk online on a first come, first served basis, with a limit of four tickets per transaction. These tickets are scheduled to be available on the following schedule:
- July 1, 7 p.m. Talk Tickets: A limited number of remaining tickets after dinner reservations close June 12, 2023, if any, will be made available beginning at 8 a.m., Tuesday, June 13, 2023
- July 2, 7 p.m. Talk Tickets: Available beginning at 8 a.m., Wednesday, June 14, 2023
- July 3, 7 p.m. Talk Tickets: Available beginning at 8 a.m., Thursday, June 15, 2023
Individuals are encouraged to transact early to obtain tickets. Tickets are limited to four tickets per transaction. To obtain free tickets for the evening talks, visit GettysburgFoundation.org/Sacred-Trust on the select dates as outlined.
The event complements other Museum & Visitor Center activities, including Gettysburg National Military Park’s special battle anniversary Ranger programs. A complete schedule of the talks and book signings along with topic descriptions and presenter bios are available at GettysburgFoundation.org/Sacred-Trust.