Call For Presentation Proposals
Conference on Women and the Civil War 2027
The Society for Women and the Civil War proudly hosts its annual conferences focused upon the lives of women during the period of 1861-1865, living and serving in both in the United States and the Confederate States. For each year’s conference, it invites professional and amateur historians, scholars of all genres, members of the Society, and members of the public to join it in celebrating women’s contributions to our country’s history during the Civil War, showcasing original and innovative research.
SWCW’s 26th annual conference will be held Renfrew Museum and Park, Waynesboro, PA, from July 23-25, 2027!
The Society invites proposals for presentations examining the lives and contributions of USA and CSA Civil War-era women at local, regional and national levels. Proposals for presentations regarding all relevant topics which further our knowledge and understanding of these women, to include the life-styles, milieu, material culture, arts and skills of the mid-nineteenth century, will be welcomed for consideration.
Potential speakers should submit by electronic means:
- A synopsis of the presentation, of at least one (1) page, but not more than three (3) pages (on Microsoft Word). The synopsis must indicate why the presentation is relevant to the conference.
- The synopsis must also include a description of visual and physical aids used to illustrate and highlight the presentation, and specify the technology required to use the aids.
- A bibliography of the sources used, with an emphasis on the primary sources (on Microsoft Word).
- A personal biography of not more than two (2) pages (on Microsoft Word), including a listing of credentials, prior presentations (if any), publications (if any) and contact information. Links to on-line presentations made previously are considered quite useful. This should not be construed to discourage amateur historians.
- To the fullest extent possible, the use of quality graphics and images is encouraged.
- Please note that end-product presentations should be made using PowerPoint software.
Note that presentations are expected to be of a duration of approximately one hour with an additional Question-and-Answer sessions of approximately fifteen minutes.
If a presentation is selected for this conference, the information provided by the speaker, with the exception of Personally Identifiable Information (PII), will be included in the conference binder. If a presentation is selected for the conference, it may be filmed with the approval of the presenter. Also, if the presenter provides approval, a video version of the presentation may be posted on SWCW’s website or, potentially, on YouTube. To the greatest extent possible, speakers should be prepared to attend the conference in full, so as to interact with conference attendees.
Submissions will be evaluated principally upon the following criteria:
- Originality of the topic.
- Relevancy of the topic to the lives and efforts of women living in the USA and CSA during the Civil War era.
- Quality of research, highlighting the use of primary sources.
- Quality of the presentation, including the use of visual aids.
- Presentation ability of the speaker.
- Anticipated attendee interest level for the topic.
- Use of AI for other than the generation of images is discouraged; any use of AI must be declared in advance, with specific identification of the specific application.
- No plagiarism or uncredited work product for preparation of the proposal or for the end-product presentation.
Submissions from graduate students are encouraged. Subjects examined from a macro-history perspective, or a micro-history perspective are welcomed. Submissions of more than one presentation proposal by a potential speaker are welcomed. Displays accompanying the presentations are also welcome.
Deadline for submissions of presentation proposals:
All submissions must be RECEIVED by 1 November 2026. Please send submissions, and any questions or inquiries, to: swcw1865@gmail.com ATTN: 2027 Conference Speaker Proposals. Presentation submission indicates the willingness to speak if selected by the SWCW conference committee. In December 2026, the Society will contact all those who have provided proposals.
Speaker Compensation Package:
Those chosen to speak at the conference will be provided a fee of $100 as compensation for their presentations. As in-kind compensation they will also receive complimentary conference participation, including access to conference presentations, exhibits/displays, social events and group meals for those days on which they participate in the conference. In-kind compensation also includes provision of complimentary lodging for up to two nights which they spend at the conference.
Speakers will additionally benefit from conference and general publicity provided by SWCW and its partner organizations. Those selected who have published books on Civil War-era subjects are invited to set up tables for book sales and signings – without paying a fee. If so, please include notice of plans to do this with the presentation proposal. Speakers who wish to provide exhibits/displays are also invited to do so as well – again, without paying a fee. If so, please include notice of plans to do this with the presentation proposal.
In appreciation for the effort undertaken to prepare a submission, complimentary SWCW memberships for the upcoming year are offered to all individuals who submit a presentation proposal for the annual conference, whether or not their submissions are accepted. Additionally, complimentary memberships for the year following the conference in which they participate are also offered to those speakers whose proposals are selected for presentation. Those provided complimentary memberships may care to renew that membership for themselves for subsequent years.
Speakers are responsible for providing their own transportation to and from the conference.