When discussing my goals for Military Images, I often emphasize the importance of meeting people where they are. This approach is essential yet time-consuming, given the many platforms and devices available today.
In the magazine’s early years, we reached image collectors, museum professionals, educators, dealers, auctioneers, and others interested in 19th-century photography and military history through a single medium—print. Print continues to serve our audience well.
With the digital age, we expanded our presence, adding a website and premium offerings, becoming involved with Civil War Photo Sleuth’s face recognition and community-sourcing platform, and establishing a social media presence on Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. All are part of a larger effort to engage with our audience.
I’ve discussed these initiatives in previous columns. However, another way to connect with people, which I haven’t covered much, is through traveling exhibits.
The concept is simple: A curated collection of Civil War photographs, printed on high-quality paper using advanced technology, installed temporarily in various locations—both traditional and unconventional—so the public can appreciate them. It’s an engaging snapshot of history brought close to home.
Our first traveling exhibit, Faces of Freedom, features portraits of identified Civil War soldiers and sailors of color from private and public collections. It debuted at the Hubbard House Underground Railroad Museum in Ashtabula, Ohio. COVID-19 delayed the tour until 2024, when it resumed at the Goodridge Freedom Center and Underground Railroad Museum in York, Pa., and then moved to Manassas National Battlefield Park, where it recently concluded. We’re now looking for its next location.
Meanwhile, a new collection is in the works, featuring portraits and personal stories of Civil War women who served as nurses. I’m thrilled to announce its inaugural location: The Clara Barton Missing Soldiers Office Museum in Washington, D.C.—a fitting historical venue. The property is owned by the General Services Administration, and the museum is operated by the National Museum of Civil War Medicine in nearby Frederick, Md.
Planning is underway for a 2025 opening. Follow us online for updates. If you have an unpublished wartime ambrotype, carte de visite, or tintype of a Civil War nurse and are willing to share it, please contact me. I’m also interested in any ideas for future traveling exhibits.
Ronald S. Coddington
Editor & Publisher
SPREAD THE WORD: We encourage you to share this story on social media and elsewhere to educate and raise awareness. If you wish to use any image on this page for another purpose, please request permission.
LEARN MORE about Military Images, America’s only magazine dedicated to showcasing, interpreting and preserving Civil War portrait photography.
VISIT OUR STORE to subscribe, renew a subscription, and more.