Each year, Time magazine selects a single person who had the most influence on events during the previous twelve months. If the same question were posed in the year 1863, who would Time have selected as the Person of the Year? The Museum of the Confederacy and the Library of Virginia considered that question by inviting five historians to nominate someone for the title. Before the audience cast their votes for Person of the Year 1863, each historian presented an argument for their nominee and responded to questions from the audience.
Professor Edward Ayers nominated U.S. Colored Troops; Professor Joseph Glatthaar nominated Ulysses S. Grant; Historian Robert Krick nominated “Stonewall” Jackson; Professor Thomas Sebrell nominated John Russell; and Professor Jennifer Weber nominated Clement Vallandigham. The audience voted Ulysses S. Grant as Person of the Year 1863.
The Museum of the Confederacy’s 2013 Symposium was held on February 23, 2013 at the Library of Virginia.