"Does the Civil War Matter?": A Roundtable Discussion.

The article presents highlights of a roundtable discussion on the significance of the American Civil War. Topics discussed include emancipation of African American slaves and African diaspora, secession of Southern states that led to the passage of the Homestead Act and Pacific Railway Act, Civil War as a formative event of Reconstruction, freedom and anti-racism in U.S. history, and relevance of the Civil War to capitalism and neoliberalism, as well as to political and agricultural economy.