150th Anniversary of the Civil War Commemorative Dinner at BPL

On 10/29 over 350 guests attended a black-tie gala at the Boston Public Library (BPL) to launch the Norman B. Leventhal Map Center's 2011 exhibition, Torn in Two, the 150th Anniversary of the Civil War, which will open in May 2011. The celebration, entitled, "The 150th Anniversary of the Civil War Commemorative Dinner" featured Civil War reenactors, opera singer Robert Honeysucker and a menu that was a replica of President Lincoln's Inaugural dinner. Flowers and place settings were historically accurate recreations from the mid 19th century. More than $700,000 was raised for the 2011 exhibition and for the Map Center's educational programs. Historian and award-winning filmmaker Ken Burns was honored with the first Leventhal Explorer Medal for his contributions to expanding knowledge of the Civil War.

Photo credit Roger Farrington