Brent D. Glass, Director Emeritus of the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History, will speak about his new book 50 Great American Places: Essential Historic Sites Across the U.S. on Monday, June 13th at 7:00pm at the Central Branch of the Jefferson-Madison Regional Library (201 E. Market Street, Charlottesville). The program is sponsored by the Journey Through Hallowed Ground Partnership and the Virginia Center for the Book.

From Massachusetts to Hawaii, 50 Great American Places explores the power of essential historic sites and how they illuminate core themes in American history. For sites as old as Mesa Verde and Cahokia and as recent as Silicon Valley and the Mall of America, the book provides the historical context for places that represent fundamental themes in American history. It also includes a foreword by historian and Pulitzer Prize-winning author David McCullough and highlights Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello as well as Gettysburg, both of which are located along the Journey Through Hallowed Ground National Scenic Byway.

The event is free and open to the public. Copies of the book will be available for purchase and signing after the program. For more information, visit HallowedGround.org or call 540-882-4929.

About the Author: Brent D. Glass is Director Emeritus of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, the world’s largest museum devoted to telling the story of America. A national leader in the preservation, interpretation, and promotion of history, Glass is a public historian who provides management and consulting services to museums, historical organizations, and cultural institutions around the world. 50 Great American Places is his most recent book.