By By BEN RAYMOND LODE / Niles Daily Star
NILES -- A performance this Thursday in the Rotunda of the Niles District Library may shed more light on women's role during the American Civil War.
But one thing the performance will definitely do, is to introduce the audience to the music of that time.
Jan Gorham, a library employee and the event organizer, said Osceola, Ind.-based Jill Brummett will take guests on a musical walk through the Civil War during her performance, which will include both Union and Confederate songs.
Gorham said Brummett has done musical reviews since 1991 for social organizations, libraries and clubs.
In addition to her a capella performance, Brummett will also wear authentic Civil War costumes and talk about what was and what wasn't proper etiquette for a woman during the war, Gorham said.
Gorham said the program is very family oriented and she hopes parents will bring their children to the event.
Brummett's musical performance, however, is only one of two Civil War related activities happening at the library on Thursday, Oct. 23.
Gorham said the evening will begin with a discussion about a recent book released by Missouri-based Paulette Jiles at 6 p.m..
Brummett's musical performance starts at 7 p.m.
Gorham said the book, which the author wrote after researching her own family history and discovering that women were imprisoned during the Civil War, often for aiding and abetting the enemy, aims at showing the female perspective of the war.
The fictional book tells the story of a young woman driven from her home when her father is dragged of by soldiers.
While looking for her father the young woman is taken prisoner.
The book goes on to tell the story of the young woman's experience in jail.
Gorham said it isn't purely coincidental that the library is putting on an event that deals with the Civil War.
Gorham said library patrons have showed an ongoing interest in fictional history in recent times, and particularly historical fiction from the Civil War era.
She hopes the two events will be well received by the audience.
For more information about the event, call Niles District Library at 683-8545.