Register for the 2015 Tudor Hall Symposium!

This year marks the 150th anniversary of the end of the Civil War and the assassination of Abraham Lincoln.  In the coming weeks I will be posting about some of the events planned to mark the occasion.  Remember to check out the Calendar section of BoothieBarn for more events, including some smaller events that might be happening in your area. 

As has become fairly apparent by my recent postings, I have developed a deep interest in the Booth family of Bel Air, Maryland. While this site is still devoted to exploring all aspects of Lincoln’s assassination, I have discovered that the familial background of the Booths is a fascinating sidebar. Looking at the lives and interactions between the members of the Booth family provides a great deal of insight into the path that led John Wilkes Booth to go from actor to assassin, family to fiend. Therefore, I am extremely excited for the upcoming Tudor Hall Symposium. This is a one time only event taking place on May 9, 2015. I’ll let the release from the Spirits of Tudor Hall group explain:

We’re very excited to announce that the Junius B. Booth Society (JBBS) and the Historical Society of Harford County (HSHC) are holding a one day, one-of-a kind symposium on Saturday, May 9, 2015, titled Tudor Hall, the Booths of Maryland and the Civil War from 8:00 AM to 4:45 PM at the Bel Air Armory in Bel Air, MD. Tudor Hall, the home of the theatrical Booths of Maryland, a short distance away will be open to the attendees following the symposium for tours till 7 PM. We are holding this timely symposium to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Lincoln Assassination and the end of the Civil War. The symposium will explore the complex theatrical Booths— who left their mark on America forever (good and bad), the history of Tudor Hall and the attitudes of Marylanders during the Civil War. As was true with many Maryland families during the Civil War; the Booths were truly a house divided. This is a fundraiser and the proceeds will be split between JBBS and HSHC. All proceeds to JBBS will be used for turning Tudor Hall into a museum.

We have a spectacular line-up of nationally recognized speakers on this fascinating subject:

Fortune’s Fool: The Life of John Wilkes Booth
By Terry Alford, author of Fortune’s Fool: The Biography of John Wilkes Booth. Terry Alford is a Professor of History at Northern Virginia Community College and is a recognized expert on John Wilkes Booth. His long awaited comprehensive biography of John Wilkes Booth, researched for decades, will be released early in 2015.

Edwin Booth During the Civil War
By Daniel J. Watermeier, author of American Tragedian: The Life of Edwin Booth. Daniel J. Watermeier has, through decades of tireless research paired with his own sharp insight, put together the most complete Edwin Booth biography to date. Watermeier’s book offers an in-depth look at the triumphal career and tumultuous life of one of the American stage’s most celebrated figures. His book is scheduled for release early in 2015. Daniel’s talk will focus on Edwin Booth during the Civil war.

A Brief Introduction to Tudor Hall
By Jim Garrett, author of The Lincoln Assassination: Where Are They Now? Jim is a recognized historian of the Lincoln Assassination and a tour guide at Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D.C. and gives special talks at Tudor Hall. Jim’s talk will focus on the history of Tudor Hall, home of the theatrical Booths of Maryland.

Booth’s Backstage Friends at Ford’s
By Thomas A. Bogar, author of Backstage at the Lincoln Assassination: The Untold Story of the Actors and Stagehands at Ford’s Theatre.Thomas Bogar tells the untold story of Lincoln’s assassination: the forty-six stage hands, actors, and theater workers on hand for the bewildering events in the theater that night, and what each of them witnessed in the chaos-streaked hours before John Wilkes Booth was discovered to be the culprit.

John Wilkes Booth and the Knights of the Golden Circle
By David C. Keehn, author of Knights of the Golden Circle: Secret Empire, Southern Secession, Civil War. David C. Keehn’s book provides the first comprehensive analysis of the Knights of the Golden Circle, a secret southern society that initially sought to establish a slave-holding empire in the Golden Circle region of Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central America. Keehn reveals the complex history of this mysterious group (John Wilkes Booth was a member), including its involvement in the secession movement and the Civil War. David’s talk will focus on John Wilkes Booth and his involvement in the Knights of the Golden Circle.

Agenda
Saturday, May 9, 2015
8:00-8:45 AM   Registration and continental breakfast
8:45 AM   Opening remarks
8:55 AM    Morning Session
Fortune’s Fool: The Life of John Wilkes Booth by Terry Alford
Edwin Booth During the Civil War by Daniel Watermeier
A Brief Introduction to Tudor Hall by Jim Garrett
12:10-1:45 PM   Lunch on your own at area restaurants or bring your own lunch.
1:45 PM   Afternoon Session
Booth’s Backstage Friends at Ford’s by Thomas Bogar
John Wilkes Booth and the Knights of the Golden Circle by David Keehn
Speakers’ Panel (speakers answer questions from audience and each other)
4:45 PM   Closing remarks

Following the closing remarks the first floor of Tudor Hall is open to attendees till 7 PM.

Fees for Symposium 
Early Registration until April 24, 2015 ─$65.00
Includes continental breakfast and afternoon refreshments.
Registration after April 24, 2015 ─$75.00

The speakers’ books will be for sale at the symposium.

The symposium will be held at: 
Bel Air Armory
37 N. Main Street
Bel Air, MD 21014
Handicapped access
Limited parking is available in the back. Parking is also available nearby at the Historical Society of Harford County at 143 N. Main Street and on the street.

How to Register:

You can register for the May 9, 2015 Tudor Hall Symposium in Bel Air, Maryland two different ways.

1. Register online and pay with PayPal (or with a credit card) through the Historical Society of Harford County website

• Visit the Events page of the Historical Society of Harford County website by clicking HERE
• Scroll down until you see the event details:
• Click on the “Buy Now” bottom to open the PayPal page to complete your registration and order:

2. Register by mail and pay by check

• Download the registration form by clicking HERE
• Print the form, fill it out, and mail it with your check payable to The Historical Society of Harford County to:

The Historical Society of Harford County
143 N. Main Street
Bel Air, MD 21014
Attn: 2015 Symposium

Please consider registering for this one time only Tudor Hall Symposium. All the proceeds from the event will go to the Junius Brutus Booth Society, a group that has done tremendous work in transforming Tudor Hall into a Booth family museum.  In the three years I’ve lived in Maryland I’ve seen this group improve Tudor Hall time and time again.  They deserve all the support they can get for their efforts to bring the story of the Maryland Booths to the masses.  I, of course, will be attending the symposium and I can’t wait to see you there.

So register now and mark your calendar for the Tudor Hall, the Booths of Maryland and the Civil War Symposium on May 9, 2015!