Dille Distinguished Faculty Lecture: Trista Raezer-Stursa

From Battlefield to Bureaucracy: Civil War Veterans and Their Fight for Pensions

After the Civil War, thousands of veterans and their families faced a new battle: securing the war pensions they had been promised. This lecture explores the human stories behind that struggle through letters sent to Minnesota Congressman Solomon G. Comstock in the late 1800s. These heartfelt appeals reveal the hardships of aging soldiers, the maze of government bureaucracy, and the political forces that shaped America’s first large-scale social welfare program. I will explore how pension laws evolved, why the system became so complicated, and what these stories tell us about poverty, disability, and the changing role of government in everyday life.

Trista Raezer-Stursa's lecture will be held on Tuesday, November 6, at MSUM's Livingston Lord Library Room 103. We hope to see you there!

You may also like the following events from Minnesota State Moorhead:

• Next Monday, 27th October, 09:00 am, AI Innovation Summit in Moorhead
• Next Friday, 31st October, 10:00 pm, Trunk or Treat
• Next Saturday, 1st November, 09:00 am, Percussion Day 2025 in Moorhead