Haunted by Memory: Ghosts Stories of the American Civil War

Join historian Amy Laurel Fluker for a fascinating conversation about Haunted by Memory: Ghost Stories of the American Civil War, her new book co-edited with historian John R. Neff and published by the University of Tennessee Press in May 2026. Drawing on hundreds of ghost stories published in newspapers, periodicals, and books between 1861 and 1932, Haunted by Memory explores what these tales reveal about how Americans experienced and remembered the Civil War. From apparitions on battlefields to hauntings in hospitals and prisons, these stories offered more than thrills: they helped a wounded nation grapple with grief, trauma, unresolved conflict, and the enormous challenge of remembering a transformative and devastating war. In this engaging talk, Fluker will discuss the surprising role ghost stories played in shaping Civil War memory and explore why stories of the supernatural can offer powerful insights into the ways people confront—and sometimes try to escape—their past. The event will also reflect on the enduring legacy of the Civil War and the ways its ghosts continue to inhabit American history and culture.