Arn Kind visited libraries across the Arrowhead Library System (ALS) to share information about the American Civil War in this final year of the sesquicentennial commemoration.
Through drama, role-playing and living history experiences, Kind gives participants an understanding of this turbulent time and brings history alive. He dresses as a Union soldier and describes the uniform, equipment, and weapons used by soldiers.
A very important part of Arn’s presentations are the artifacts, uniforms and equipment that participants handle as part of this hands-on history experience. At the end, audience members may choose to play an active role in historical events by becoming recruits in the Union Army as they are sworn in and learn some of the rudiments of Hardee’s Light Infantry Tactics Drill Manual while handling wooden replicas of Civil War muskets.
Front page coverage of this ALS program in the Mesabi Daily News with more on page A12 and even more on page C1
Arn Kind is a member of the First Minnesota Volunteer Infantry Regiment; a reenactment group based out of Fort Snelling. Because this group is noted for its authenticity, they have appeared in many documentaries and historical feature films such as The Blue and the Gray, North & South, Glory, Gettysburg, Dances With Wolves, and Gods and Generals.