CWI Summer Conference
Join us for the Civil War Institute's Summer 2027 Conference, where you'll learn from leading historians, explore the Gettysburg battlefield and other historic sites, and connect with fellow Civil War enthusiasts from across the country. Browse the information below to help you plan your conference experience before you register.
The Civil War Institute Summer Conference at Gettysburg College is a five-day program held annually in June. The conference includes lectures, battlefield tours, breakout sessions, and other special activities. The CWI has sponsored this summer conference since 1983. Learn more about past Summer Conferences.
Civil War Institute Summer Conference June 11-15, 2027
…featuring Carol Reardon, Jennifer Murray, Jonathan White, John Coski, Michelle Krowl, William Blair, Rachel Shelden, Dana Shoaf, Ashley Luskey, and more!
Lectures & small-group discussions exploring:
- War-time dissent on the Northern home front, Abraham Lincoln and the power of the Emancipation Proclamation
- Robert E. Lee and the 1861 Virginia Campaign,
- Civil War navies,
- Arlington’s African-American story
- Civil War soldiers’ alcohol use,
- Sharpsburg’s civilians and the Battle of Antietam,
- Enslaved Americans’ war-time interactions with Federal officials,
- The Civil War in the trans-Mississippi West…and more!
Evening, full-day, and half-day hybrid tours exploring:
- The 124th New York at Devil’s Den and the Triangular Field
- The enslaved in the Army of Northern Virginia
- Meade’s repulse of Pickett’s Charge
- Lee’s Headquarters and the historic Lutheran Seminary & cupola,
- The Battle of Wrightsville & the Gettysburg Campaign
- Gettysburg’s lesser-known monuments and their controversies
- The impact of weather on the Gettysburg Campaign
- German Americans and the 11th corps at Gettysburg
- Adams County’s Underground Railroad…and more!
Love to hike? This year’s Active-Track package will explore the actions of the Union Army’s Third Corps at Gettysburg with Timothy Orr!
Multiple full-time and part-time packages available!
Special sessions, workshops, and tours for educators!
Paid livestream access available!
Be sure to check out our registration page for information on our numerous discounts for military veterans, Gettysburg College alums, members of local partnering institutions, current K-12 educators, full-time students, full-time public historians, under-18 attendees, and “new attendee recruiters!”
Contact civilwar@gettysburg.edu or 717-337-6590 for questions!
Questions
Check out our FAQ page. Still have questions? Please contact the CWI Office at civilwar@gettysburg.edu or 717-337-6590.
Please note: Attendees will be asked to indicate all tour and dine-in preferences during the registration process. Please peruse our tour and dine-in pages for further information about each option prior to registering.
Please also note: We will be sending out multiple mass communications to registrants in advance of the conference with important logistical information and final details. PLEASE add civilwar@gettysburg.edu to your email address books and be sure to check your spam and junk folders on a regular basis to make sure you haven’t missed a communication!
What it’s like to attend
Curious about what it’s like to attend the Civil War Institute summer conference? Watch the video below to learn what sets the CWI apart, and what you can expect as an attendee:
Future Conference Dates
The CWI annual conference begins on the Friday of the second weekend of June, and runs through Wednesday morning of the following week. Conference dates for upcoming years are as follows:
- June 11-16, 2027
- June 9-14, 2028