When I joined the Atlanta Civil War Round Table in the
winter of 2022, I admit to experiencing a strong sense of imposter syndrome.
Imposter syndrome is the feeling of "not being good enough," of being
surrounded by people who are smarter, more capable, or more deserving than you.
As in my case, it's usually coupled with a keen sense of dread that sooner or
later, you'll be exposed as an imposter.
You see, I thought I knew a
thing or two about the American Civil War.
I grew up playing in the
fields, woods, and creeks of Chickamauga. My first childhood home was on the
slope of Missionary Ridge, where neighbors' front yards were dotted with
cannons, markers, and monuments. My great-great-grandfather fought in the war, a
generational gap smaller than most descendents of veterans in my age bracket.
But one round of trivia with the Atlanta Civil War Round Table
proved that I still have a long way to go in my journey to understand the most
pivotal period in American history.
Thankfully, my nervousness soon
melted away as I was accepted into the group with open arms. Despite my deficit
of trivia knowledge, I was strongly encouraged (and empowered!) to contribute to
our group in another way: by getting involved.
In 2022, the Atlanta
Civil War Round Table was at a crossroads.
Like nearly every other
longstanding civic organization in the country, our group was slowly shrinking.
At the tail-end of the COVID pandemic, we had lost about 30% of both our members
and our meeting attendees - a staggering rate for only two years' time. Dinner
costs at our venue were rising, even as our leadership team fought valiantly to
keep them stable. Downtown rush-hour traffic was worsening.
For many
members, it was simply easier to stay in the habit of staying home.
Despite these obstacles, a faithful core of our membership continued
participating in meetings. And still more members continued paying dues despite
mobility restrictions or other challenges that kept them from showing up. These
"true believers" carried the torch when we needed them most.
Behind
this relatively small core of members, an even smaller corps of leaders kept the
gears turning. Speakers have often told us that we're among the "classiest"
round tables that they've visited, and due to the hard work of our leadership
team, the quality of our meetings has never suffered.
In fact, even
as attendance waned, our leaders made important investments in the group's
future.
Mary-Elizabeth Ellard instituted virtual membership surveys
to gather feedback and chart a path forward. Robert Fugate and Gordon Jones
successfully negotiated a move to our new "home" at the Atlanta History Center.
Tim Whalen kept the lights on as treasurer. David Hicks shepherded our flock as
chaplain. Gary Barnes led our search for new recipients of the Harwell Book
Award. And all the members of our board offered their time, efforts, and wisdom
to help turn the tide.
As a result, our membership numbers grew last
year for the first time since before the pandemic. And for that accomplishment,
we should all be proud.
I'm reminded of the alleged conversation
between William T. Sherman and Ulysses S. Grant after a disastrous first day's
fighting at Shiloh. "Well, Grant, we've had the devil's own day, haven't we?"
Sherman remarked. Grant drew from his cigar and calmly replied, "Yes. Lick 'em
tomorrow, though." And they did.
Looking ahead, I'm confident in the
ability of our leadership team and of all the "true believers" to hold the line.
Moreover, I'm encouraged by growing reinforcements from new members,
and by recent additions to our leadership team, like Elizabeth Talmadge as
treasurer and Bill Marks as catering director, and the renewed commitment of
round table veterans like Tim Whalen as vice president, Carol Dietrichs as
chaplain, Mary-Elizabeth Ellard as Battlelines editor, Bob Fugate as the Harwell
Book Award chair, and David Vaughan, Elizabeth Buttimer, and Bruce Stewart as
board members.
Through the work of these leaders and the support of
our entire membership, the Atlanta Civil War Round Table has shaken off its
figurative winter dust and is once again on the march.
With a more
convenient and topical venue at the Atlanta History Center and an attractive new
price-point for registration, our meetings are more accessible than ever. A
line-up of top-tier historians is slated to deliver the same high-quality
research and insights that our members have come to expect, and for which our
group is well-known throughout the broader Civil War scholarship community.
No doubt, professional research is and will remain a central part of our
mission to "promote the serious study of the American Civil War." We help
identify, support, and promote leading scholars of the Civil War because they
make invaluable contributions to our understanding of this essential period in
our history.
But as we've learned in the last few years, in order to
accomplish this mission, our investment in scholarship must be made in tandem
with other careful investments: in our members, in the places where we meet, and
especially in the minds of those who are just beginning their own journey to
understand the Civil War and its many lessons.
As my wife, Sabrina,
and I eagerly await the arrival of our first-born child, I often wonder exactly
which Atlanta Civil War Round Table he or she will someday inherit.
Will it be a round table like that of our founder, Richard Barksdale Harwell,
when a very small group gathered around one (literal) round table? Or like the
round table of 2020, when our members met only virtually? Will there exist a
group by the name of the Atlanta Civil War Round Table at all?
I
pray that my future children will inherit an Atlanta Civil War Round Table that
is like all of the previous versions, but even better still.
A group
where all are welcome, so long as they seek to promote the serious study of the
American Civil War. A group where everyone has the opportunity to participate
and contribute, no matter where they are in their Civil War journey. And most
importantly, a group that carries the torch of history into a world that is yet
to be created.
I'll close with a few questions for our members:
which version of the Atlanta Civil War Round Table do you want to leave behind?
How would our community be different if the Civil War and its many lessons were
known, understood, and highly regarded by our neighbors, our leaders, and
especially by the rising generation? What part can you play in teaching and
promoting the Civil War in your own network, throughout Atlanta, and beyond?
Thank you for being a part of this historic organization, for your
investment in this critical mission, and for making a place for a
twenty-something-year-old boy from Missionary Ridge. It's my honor to promote
our nation's history with you.
