The “Looking Back at the Civil War” project provides an opportunity for Tennesseans with Civil War manuscripts, artifacts and photographs to have their items digitally preserved free of charge. As part of the commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the Civil War, a team of professional archivists, curators, and conservators from the Tennessee State Library and Archives will be traveling across the state to digitize privately-owned Civil War records. To date, the “Looking Back” project has been held in 52 Tennessee counties and has documented more than 4,500 distinct items.
The goal of the “Looking Back” project is to digitize records and artifacts from all 95 counties in Tennessee and promote public interest in Tennessee’s Civil War history. The files are maintained by the TSLA and will become part of a virtual archive to be used by the general public as well as K-12 teachers and students.
The TSLA will be at the Chattanooga Convention Center on Wednesday, October 9 from 1 to 5 p.m. and Thursday, October 10 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Many of the digital records are featured in an online exhibit titled “Looking Back: The Civil War in Tennessee.” Those interested in participating should call 615- 253-3470 or email civilwar.tsla@tn.gov to schedule a reservation.