Call for Papers: 33rd Annual Sachsman Symposium on the 19th Century Press

November 13-15, 2025 • Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia

The Society of Nineteenth Century Historians, in partnership with the Pamplin College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences at Augusta University, presents the 33rd Annual Sachsman Symposium on the 19th Century Press, formerly known as the Symposium on the 19th Century Press, the Civil War, and Free Expression.

The Society invites panel and paper submissions dealing with any topic related to the media of the nineteenth century. Of particular interest this year are studies related to 19th century media law and ethics; international coverage of the American Civil War; and the 19th century minority and foreign language press. Other recent topics have included studies of political and sports reporting, reporting on slavery and abolition, the illustrated press, sensationalism, and reporting on the arts.

SUBMISSION DEADLINE: August 25, 2025.Please send your paper or a panel proposal as a Word attachment to 19thCenturyHistorians@gmail.com. Students are encouraged to submit their research work. Please note:

• Papers should be at least 10 pages with a 200–300-word abstract.
• Pre-formed panel proposals should include a panel title and abstract, and the names, contact information, and presentation title for each presenter.
• Selected papers and panels must be presented during the conference, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, November 13-15, 2025.
• It is not necessary to be a member of the Society to submit a paper or panel for consideration.

LOCATION: The conference will take place at Augusta University. We strongly encourage on-site participation to take advantage of collegial, collaborative scholarship and discussion; public history experiences; and networking opportunities. A Zoom option is available upon request.

RECOGNITION: Top papers will be recognized. The top student paper will be honored with the Sachsman Family Award for outstanding student research. Financial assistance may be available for in-person presentations by undergraduate and graduate students thanks to the Schmitt Family Fund, which is dedicated to encouraging student research.

PUBLICATIONS: In addition todozens of collaborative and independent publications by participating researchers, the Symposium, formerly hosted at the University of Tennessee Chattanooga by the West Chair of Excellence in Communications and Public Affairs, the late Dr. David Sachsman, has produced nine books covering a broad range of subjects. These include: The Civil War and the Press (2000); Memory and Myth: The Civil War in Fiction and Film from Uncle Tom’s Cabin to Cold Mountain (2007); Words at War: The Civil War and American Journalism (2008); Seeking a Voice: Images of Race and Gender in the 19th Century Press (2009); Sensationalism: Murder, Mayhem, Mudslinging, Scandals, and Disasters in 19th-Century Reporting (2013); A Press Divided: Newspaper Coverage of the Civil War (2014); After the War: The Press in a Changing America, 1865–1900 (2017); The Antebellum Press: Setting the Stage for Civil War (2019), and The Civil War Soldier and the Press (2023). Panel presentations from the 2020, 2023, and 2024 Symposiums were recorded and aired on C-SPAN and C-SPAN 2.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Contact 19thCenturyHistorians@gmail.com or visit 19thcenturyhistorians.org for the latest information on the Society, links to publications, upcoming book projects, and other news.