Women’s History Month Offers Opportunity to Spotlight Rising Star in Civil War Public History

By Meghan Hall · Originally published April 2019 · p. 26

More than 2,500 miles separate Sarah Kay Bierle from some of the most significant battlefields on the East Coast. That distance might scare some less-enthusiastic historians off, but Bierle hasn’t allowed living on the West Coast to prevent her becoming a rising star in the Civil War field. Each week, tens of thousands of readers lean on her expertise, and she has a unique perspective that helps draw in a wide demographic of readers. Bierle serves as the managing editor for the Emerging Civil War blog. In this capacity, Bierle handles many daily tasks for the blog and keeps an eye on other tasks and collaborations Emerging Civil War is involved with. Bierle, who graduated from Thomas Edison State University with a Bachelor of Arts in History, said she always had a special interest in history. Several years ago, she stumbled upon the Emerging Civil War blog and decided to submit a contribution. Her first blog post appeared on the Emerging Civil War site in May 2015. From there, said Chris Mackowski, Editor-in-Chief for Emerging Civil War, Bierle,

Sarah Kay Bierle “worked her way up.” Bierle said that joining the Emerging Civil War community was a way for her to foster her love for history. Bierle calls Southern California home, so her geographic location sometimes deterred her from finding others who shared her passion for the Civil War. “I always felt a bit lonely in terms of my interest in history.… Being part of Emerging Civil War gives me a whole network of people; I can call them up or send them an email, then let the conversations begin.” At 24 years old, Bierle has proved an invaluable part of Emerging Civil War’s editorial board. Mackowski said that Bierle has brought a new variety of offerings to the blog. “Emerging Civil War started out as a bunch of military historians, people who are generally interested in the battles.… There are a lot of other aspects to the Civil War aside from the military,” said Mackowski. “Sarah is one of the historians who has started working with us over the years who’s interested in some of these other aspects of the war, beyond just the ‘blood and guts.’ I think that creates a better-rounded understanding of what the war was about.” Bierle said some facets of the war she enjoys focusing on are cultural and social implications. She works with contributors in a monthly series, highlighting aspects of the Civil War that have a tendency to be overlooked. Mackowski said that some of the series have included women’s history month and black history month, but she has also coordinated series on Civil War railroads, artillery, and Civil War cooking. Those who know Bierle understand that she wants to keep the memories and stories of the Civil War alive. “The passion she brings shows through in her work,” said Chris Kolakowski, Emerging Civil War’s chief historian. Kolakowski said that Bierle’s approach of covering the war’s human component has “helped attract new audiences and helped expand the breadth of our offerings, which makes us more relevant to a wider group of people.” Bierle said, “If you can make someone laugh or make someone cry or get a little teary eyed, you can make them remember what they’ve learned.” Bierle said that she feels passionate about sharing Civil War history because, “In some ways it still influences the questions we face today in the modern world. It’s important to see where we’ve come from.… Maybe we can find a better way forward.” In addition to her work with Emerging Civil War, Bierle began a small business called Gazette665. She felt starting this was a unique way to engage her local community in Southern California. Sarah has honed her craft in telling Civil War stories enough that she will soon add the 32nd book to the Emerging Civil War book series published by Savas Beatie. “I wasn’t sure if I wanted to write a another book,” Bierle admitted. However, she said that a trip to Virginia, all the way across the country from her home in Temecula, Calif., changed her mind. “I went to New Market battlefield and it was a really special place,” she said. “I knew I wanted to be able to share that story.” Bierle said that she’s been honored and excited to work with Emerging Civil War and to explore opportunities inside the field of history. Bierle’s not the only one who’s excited about her time at Emerging Civil War, though. Both Mackowski and Kolakowski spoke fondly of Sarah and her remarkable work. Mackowski said he was impressed by Bierle’s strong presence in a field of history that is often male-dominated. “Her presence as a young female is really important for our content, and for our audiences, and for the overall story we’re trying to tell, said Mackowski. “I think it’s pretty cool that we’ve got a young woman who is working in public history in a way that is able to impact that story so significantly.” Her work, he said, reaches tens of thousands of readers a week. “I’m glad she’s part of the team. I look forward to hearing a lot more from her as we go forward,” said Kolakowski. “Sarah is one of the young, bright, shining stars of Emerging Civil War.”