# Dressing the Past: Civil War Reenactors, Williamsburg Historical Interpreters & Exploring American Identity Through Costume

The periods of the American Revolution and the Civil War remain topics of pride and contention, subjects of popular writing, and inspiration for costumed performance. In 18th-century garments at Colonial Williamsburg and in 19th-century uniforms on Civil War battlefields, modern Americans celebrate the nation's history, and at the same time take the opportunity to air their political and cultural opinions while exploring significant aspects of their identities. Their costumes, differing from their daily dress, help them fulfill personal desires while they join with others in collective public performance.

- Kind: Talk
- Year: 2016
- By: American Folklife Center
- Genres: War, History
- Archive: [Library of Congress](https://www.loc.gov/item/2021690213/)
- Licence or status: Rights statement at the Library of Congress (as the archive states it)
- Credit: Library of Congress
- Who can watch: Teens profiles and older (the archive gives no rating; placed by Invisible Network from its collection and subjects)

[Watch now](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/watch/archive/loc/2021690213?play=1)