Savannah, GA, February 18, 2026 – As part of its statewide commemoration of the United States’ 250th anniversary, the Georgia Historical Society (GHS) will present “A United States but a Divided America: How We Have Celebrated the Nation’s Birthday During Turbulent Times.” This special panel discussion will examine how major national commemorations have unfolded during periods of deep division. It will take place on Thursday, February 26, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. at Christ Church Episcopal in Savannah.
The free public program will feature a conversation with distinguished historians Dr. William Hitchcock and Dr. Elizabeth Varon, both professors at the University of Virginia, and will be moderated by Dr. Stan Deaton, Senior Historian at GHS. The discussion will explore how the nation marked its Centennial after the Civil War and Reconstruction and the Bicentennial amid the upheavals of the 1960s, Vietnam, Watergate, and the Cold War—revealing how earlier generations navigated political and social division during major national milestones.
“The United States is celebrating our 250th anniversary in what we can all agree are very partisan times,” said Deaton. “But we know that all eras have been deeply divided by politics. Elizabeth Varon and Will Hitchcock are two outstanding scholars who will help us understand how earlier generations navigated the Centennial and Bicentennial and what we can learn from those who walked this difficult ground before us.”
Dr. William Hitchcock is the James Madison Professor of History at the University of Virginia and a leading scholar of modern American and European history. Dr. Elizabeth Varon is Professor of History and Associate Director of the Nau Center for Civil War History at the University of Virginia, and an acclaimed author whose work focuses on national identity, political culture, and the Civil War era. She was awarded the Georgia Historical Society’s Malcolm Bell, Jr. and Muriel Barrow Bell Award for her book Longstreet: The Confederate General Who Defied the South (Simon & Schuster).
As part of the 2025-2026 Georgia History Festival, this program is made possible in partnership with the UVA Club of Savannah and through the generous support of The Coca-Cola Company.
The event is free and open to the public, with advance registration requested for those planning to attend. Guests are encouraged to register by clicking here.
For additional details, please visit www.georgiahistoryfestival.org or contact Keith Strigaro, Director of Public Relations and Communications, at 912.651.2125, ext. 153, or by email at kstrigaro@georgiahistory.com.
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ABOUT THE GEORGIA HISTORICAL SOCIETY
The Georgia Historical Society (GHS) is the premier independent statewide institution responsible for collecting, examining, and teaching Georgia and American history. GHS houses the oldest and most distinguished collection of materials related exclusively to Georgia history in the nation.
To learn more visit georgiahistory.com.