During the sesquicentennial of the Civil War (spring 2011 through spring 2015), the Organization of American Historians is committed to bringing the best current thinking on this complex era to a wide audience. In keeping with our mission to promote excellence in the scholarship, teaching, and presentation of all American history, we aim to explore the war from its beginnings through its aftermath, especially mindful of the needs of history teachers and students, the challenges faced by public historians, and the curiosity of the general public.