Join us for a fascinating lecture with author Scott Hippensteel as he presents insights from his groundbreaking book, Civil War Photo Forensics. In this compelling work, Hippensteel reexamines some of the most iconic photographs from the American Civil War, challenging long-held assumptions about their authenticity, timing, and purpose.

Using modern scientific techniques, Hippensteel investigates the work of pioneering battlefield photographers such as Alexander Gardner, Mathew Brady, and Timothy O’Sullivan. His analysis sheds new light on how these early photojournalists captured — and in some cases staged — scenes that have shaped our understanding of the war for generations.

Books will be available for purchase and a book signing will follow the presentation.

About the Speaker

Scott Hippensteel is a professor of earth sciences at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. He has published three books about the intersection between the natural and military sciences, including the award-winning Sand, Science, and the Civil War: Sedimentary Geology and Combat. His research interests focus on using microfossils to solve environmental and geoarchaeological problems, including investigating the fate of the famous Civil War submarine H.L. Hunley.