Chris Mackowski Receives Houston Civil War Round Table’s “Frank E. Vandiver Award of Merit”
Originally published April 2024 · p. 7
HOUSTON, TEXAS— Continuing a 41-year tradition, the Houston Civil War Round Table (HCWRT) has awarded Christopher W. Mackowski, Ph.D., the Frank E. Vandiver Award of Merit. The Vandiver Award recognizes outstanding contributions to Civil War scholarship or preservation efforts by an individual or an institution. Presented annually, the award honors the memory of Dr. Frank Everson Vandiver (1925–2005), a renowned Civil War historian and one of the earliest members of HCWRT. Lynda Crist, a long-time member of HCWRT and editor of the Jefferson Davis Papers at Rice University, was the first Vandiver Award recipient in 1982. Other past winners include Gary Gallagher, Ed Bearss, Richard Sommers, Frank O’Reilly, William C. “Jack” Davis, Don Troiani, David E. Roth, James
“Bud” Robertson, Eric Jacobson, Ed Cotham, Gordon Rhea, James McPherson, Brian Steel Wills, A. Wilson Greene, and Timothy B. Smith. Dr. Mackowski is the editor-inchief and co-founder of Emerging Civil War and the series editor of the award-winning Emerging Civil War Series, published by Savas Beatie. Chris is a writing professor in the Jandoli School of Communication at St. Bonaventure University in Allegany, N.Y., where he also serves as associate dean for undergraduate programs. Chris is also historian-in-residence at Stevenson Ridge, an historic property on the Spotsylvania battlefield in central Virginia. He has worked as an historian for the National Park Service at Fredericksburg & Spotsylvania National Military Park, where he still gives tours at four major Civil
Chancellorsville, Wilderness, and Spotsylvania), as well as at the building where Stonewall Jackson died. Chris has authored or co-authored nearly two dozen books and edited a half-dozen essay collections on the Civil War; his articles have appeared in all major Civil War magazines. Chris serves as vice president on the board of directors for the Central Virginia Battlefields Trust, and he serves on the advisory board of the Civil War Roundtable Congress. In announcing the award, HCWRT President Keith Altavilla commented: “Not only is Chris an excellent historian and presenter, his work at Emerging Civil War has done much to nurture further study and scholarship on the war. This wide-ranging impact is what the Vandiver Award seeks to recognize, and we could not be happier to do so again.” A large, wooden Minié ball symbolizing the award was presented to Dr. Mackowski after he addressed the Houston Civil War Round Table at its monthly meeting on February 15, 2024.