We often forget that the Civil War involved the entire nation – and that Washington territorial residents were deeply involved in its issues. As the 150-year anniversary of the Civil War continues, historian Lorraine McConaghy has developed an interactive, living theater piece in which the audience reads the words of ordinary settlers, territorial military and administrative leadership. The reading will be preceded by a brief lecture to set context and followed by a conversation about the ideas and themes raised by our communal theater. Through the presentation, participants will realize the changing significance of words like “Democrat” and “Republican” and learn about various opinions on race and slavery in the territory. It is one thing to hear these startling realities in a lecture; it is more powerful to speak them.

About Lorraine McConaghy Lorraine McConaghy is a public historian who has devoted her professional life to researching and teaching Pacific Northwest history. At Seattle’s Museum of History & Industry, she has curated a series of successful projects, including the museum’s core exhibits Metropolis 150 and Essential Seattle, as well as Blue vs. Gray: Civil War in the Pacific Northwest. McConaghy teaches in the Museum Studies program at the University of Washington, and her work has been honored by the Washington Museum Association, the Oral History Association, the National Council on Public History and the American Association for State and Local History. In 2010, she received the Robert Gray Medal, the highest honor awarded by the Washington State Historical Society.

McConaghy currently lives in Seattle.