The Civil War is typically portrayed as a clash between northern and southern states on the East Coast. But a member of the Humanities Washington Speakers Bureau will present research that shows slavery and the Civil War were also thriving in Washington state.

Lorraine McConaghy will speak at the Coupeville and Freeland libraries on Monday, Oct. 15. What makes this presentation unique is that McConaghy won’t be the only one speaking; at this Reader’s Theater event, the audience becomes the characters.

“It’s very informal, but on the other hand, the chance of being able to speak the view of a slaveholder in Olympia or the governor of Washington, it’s just very powerful to speak in another person’s shoes like that,” McConaghy said.

Civil War battles may not have touched Washington, but wars of opinion certainly did. Impressed by the strong views McConaghy read in newspapers, she decided Reader’s Theater was a beneficial path for her presentation.

“It’s very dramatic and very interesting and I felt like I wanted to share it, I wanted other people to know how interesting this was,” McConaghy said of the time period.

Shotguns and strong opinions

McConaghy has dedicated the past five years to researching the Civil War’s influence in Washington. As a public historian, she devoted her professional life to researching and teaching Pacific Northwest history and has curated a series of projects at Seattle’s Museum of History and Industry. She will release a book in January called “Free Boy,” exploring the story of a slave escaping from Olympia in the 1860s.

“Even thinking about the Civil War here is counterintuitive,” McConaghy said, adding that her presentation is sure to open attendees’ eyes to a new view of history. “I think we think of the Civil War as a series of Eastern battlefields. I think here in the far northwest, we think the Civil War was far, far, far away.”

However, the Civil War was just as important on the West Coast as people took strong opinions and owned slaves, and on the 150th anniversary of the war this year, McConaghy wants to share an important piece of history that many people miss.

“I don’t know what isn’t surprising about this. I think our dependence on the East and our relationship with the East is surprising,” she said.

The topics of slavery and the war were just as hot for Washingtonians as those on the East Coast. McConaghy described people shooting shotguns through each others’ windows to express disagreement, and a woman who baked a cake with the Dixie flag on top then left it at a picnic, to the shock of passersby.

“They were surprised then and people will be surprised now,” McConaghy said.

She was surprised to learn five years ago that military officers in Washington and even the governor of Washington resigned to join the Confederate states’ army and navy during a war on the other side of the nation.

“I just find this stuff absolutely fascinating. Five years ago when I first read this, my jaw just dropped,” McConaghy said, adding that she enjoys sharing her knowledge with others.

“Everyone has something that surprises them — the role of women, that there were slaves in Washington,” McConaghy said.

At the beginning of the presentation, McConaghy will give a brief talk about the era and show photos of some of the people whose voices attendees will be using.

“My hope is that at the end of the Reader’s Theater, we will have a lively discussion,” McConaghy said, adding that the goal of the Humanities Washington Speakers Bureau is to encourage informed conversation.

“I think it could be a lot of fun for young people and their teachers to come see what a Reader’s Theater is like,” McConaghy said. The program is meant for all ages, with an emphasis on life-long learners.

Speakers Bureau is one of Humanities Washington’s oldest and most popular programs. A roster of 28 cultural experts and scholars provides low-cost, high-quality public presentations across the state, encouraging audiences to think, learn and engage in conversation.

These diverse speakers cover a variety of topics, including popular culture, photography, architecture, literature, food, film and history, according to the Humanities Washington website.

Enter Civil War history

Lorraine McConaghy presents “Territorial Voices: A Civil War Reader’s Theater.”

The audience joins in McConaghy’s presentation about how the Civil War was fought in the West.

1 p.m. Monday, Oct. 15 at the Freeland Library.

5:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 15 at the Coupeville Library.

Visit www.sno-isle.org for more information.