This year's five-day institute will explore the Civil War from the perspectives of ordinary people—soldiers, slaves, and women—fighting, living, and dying in a nation embroiled in war. By examining the war through the eyes of those who lived it, participants will develop a greater understanding of the American Civil War's impact and complexity. Participants will join the staff of the Museum of the Confederacy and guest lecturers for special sessions, tours, and discussions, designed to aid teachers of all grade levels.

One way citizens of large republics are educated in the principles of government is through novels. With this in mind, this course examines selections from the work of Mark Twain. Not only is Twain America's most enduringly popular author, but his novels depict important aspects of the American character and have much to say about such themes as equality, slavery, freedom, modern science, Christianity, and democratic leadership, all of which are crucial for understanding American history and politics. The main texts will be Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court; if time permits, participants will also consider The Adventures of Tom Sawyer or The Tragedy of Pudd'nhead Wilson.

Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man (1952) is the great American novel about race, perhaps even the great American novel. It considers and affirms the principle—that "mysterious binding force"—that holds the U.S. together as a people and that is tied to its own history. In doing so it raises all the important political questions about equality, freedom, rights and justice; the legacy of slavery and white supremacy; our "human and absurd diversity." The novel's deliberate attempt, in Ellison's words, "to return to the mood of personal moral responsibility for democracy" makes perfectly clear the connection between literature and politics. The seminar will also consider a few of Ellison's essays bearing directly on Invisible Man.

Ahimsa Center's 2009 Summer Institute for K–12 teachers—the third one in a series on Education about Nonviolence—will focus on Mohandas K. Gandhi (1869–1948) and Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929–68), the pioneers of nonviolent action for social transformation. Participants will work with expert faculty and scholars to learn, reflect, and critically assess the significance of Gandhi and King in their own times and their continuing relevance in our times as leaders of nonviolent mass movements, and also as thought-leaders who seem to have anticipated so many of today's critical issues and vexing problems. Themes and topics covered in the institute will provide a solid foundation for curricular innovations that will help students gain critical insights into the relevance of Gandhi, King, and their respective journeys of nonviolence.

This weeklong seminar will bring together a distinguished team of humanities scholars who will provide an interdisciplinary exploration of Zora Neale Hurston's life and work. Participants will examine Hurston's accomplishments within the context of the historical and cultural development of the Eatonville community. They will grapple with compelling questions about how this unique black enclave fueled Hurston's appreciation of folk culture, inspired her literary works, created her racial identity, and formed her sometimes controversial views on race.

From the North Carolina Museum of History website:

"Explore the history of civil rights in the state from 1830 to the present. An interactive time line, a Web quest, and tips on teaching with primary sources enhance the in-depth text and historic images."

The American South plays a central role in American history, from the first permanent English colony through the election of 2008. This course will focus on key episodes when Southern history and the history of the nation intersected at particularly important points: the emergence and spread of slavery, the founding, the Civil War, the creation of segregation, and the civil rights struggle. The course will be taught in Richmond, Virginia, a city rich in museums and historic sites that the seminar will use to explore the subjects addressed in the seminar.