“ETHNICS IN THE CONFEDERACY”
PRESENTED BY TED ALEXANDER
Ethnics in the Confederacy - typically the Civil War is viewed as a conflict between white Anglo Saxons on both sides. However, if one turns up the history microscope you will find a multitude of diverse ethnic groups on both sides. Our speaker will discuss the ethnic patchwork of the Southern Confederacy. In this broad brushstroke presentation, our speaker, the co author and contributor to two National Park Service publications on ethnic participation in the war, will discuss the involvement of at least 10 ethnic groups. Among them; Germans, American Indians, Hispanics and Asians just to name a few. Noted ethnic personalities such as the Cuban, Colonel Ambrosio Gonzalez, the Tejano Colonel Santo Benevides and others will be discussed too.
Biography - Ted Alexander was born in Tupelo, Mississippi and at a young age moved to Pennsylvania and later Maryland. He would spend his summers in Mississippi listening to his granddads stories of his father who served in the 31st Mississippi. Back in Pennsylvania his grandmother told him stories handed down about her uncle in the 126th Pennsylvania and her dad who was in the 1st Maryland Potomac Home Brigade. A visit to Gettysburg at age 5 sparked his interest in the Civil War and for the rest of his life he was hooked.
Ted has a BA in History and Education from the University of Maryland, College Park. and a MA in History from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County He taught 9th grade U.S. History at Greencastle - Antrim High School for 2 years. In 1980 he achieved his lifelong goal of being hired with the National Park Service; first as a Seasonal Ranger at Harpers Ferry NHP and later as a full time ranger at the National Mall and later Fort Washington, National Park. Since he was a kid, Ted wanted to work as either a ranger or historian at Antietam of Gettysburg. In 1985 his wish came true when he was transferred to Antietam National Battlefield. There he retired as Historian in 2016.
Ted is the author, co - author or contributor to 10 books on the Civil War and other aspects of American history, including Antietam: The Bloodiest Day. He has also written more than 200 articles and book reviews for publications such as Blue and Gray Magazine, Civil War Times, and The Washington Times.
He is the co -founder and host for Chambersburg Civil War Seminars. These events feature top scholars such as Ed Bearss, James McPherson, Dennis Frye and others. Since its founding in 1989 these events have raised more than $215,000.00 for preservation.
Ted is a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps. He served 2 tours in Vietnam and was awarded the Navy Commendation Medal with Combat V for valor.