The Delta Cultural Center will host the Civil War Roundtable of the Delta on Wednesday, November 15, at 6 p.m. at Beth El Heritage Hall, 406 Pecan St. Helena native Dr. Bobby Roberts will present a program entitled “The Unburdening of Southern History: Will the Removal of Confederate Monuments Unburden Us of Our Past?” 

The title is a play on historian C. Vann Woodward’s “Burden of Southern History.” Dr. Roberts will use Woodward’s conclusions as a way to carry the audience through the reasons for the monument movement in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He will address the recent controversy surrounding the removal of monuments and statues across the country, offering some ideas about how we might deal with this issue without further polarizing the country.

Dr. Roberts holds a master’s degree in library science from the University of Oklahoma and a Ph.D. in American history from the University of Arkansas. He was director of the Central Arkansas Library System from 1989 until his retirement in 2016.

Dr. Robert’s specialty is military history with a particular interest in the Civil War. He is the author or co-author of numerous books and articles about the Civil War.

The event is free and open to the public.

For more information, interested persons can call the Delta Cultural Center at (870) 338-4350 or toll free at (800) 358-0972, or visit the DCC online at www.deltaculturalcenter.com

Hosted by the Delta Cultural Center and The Arkansas Department of Heritage.