Center for Civil War Photography

Objective

To digitally secure, preserve, organize, create a database of, and make available online every image pertaining to the American Civil War.

The Digital Archive Content

A comprehensive digital archive of Civil War images that will include all formats of photography as well as select sketches, drawings, woodcuts and engravings. The emphasis will first be upon Civil War-era documentary imagery but will be designed to expand temporally and spatially to include post-war imagery of battlefields and Civil War sites as well as portrait photography in all formats. The project will expand over time.
A broad database application that will include at a minimum:

The ability to organize the database and search by image title, keyword, photographer, studio, location, campaign, date, repository, and more.
Cross-referencing with contemporary and modern catalogs.
Thumbnails of each image with direct links to high-resolution files when available.
An online library of reference materials for Civil War researchers.

The Digital Archive Methodology

The images will be scanned in high resolution digital format. All backmarks or other identifying information on the images will also be scanned. All imagery will be stored on a computer and backed up on two external hard drives housed in different locations.
Images will be made available for viewing and, when partnership arrangements allow, for use in published or exhibition materials. Fee structure will be a function of partnership arrangement, but CCWP is committed to making imagery available free or inexpensively.

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