I was given a short list of recommended American Civil War sites from a Civil War reenactor. With the aggravated division and hate crimes of minorities and women, I was a bit nervous traveling to any historic sites now. He assured me however that although he can't speak for everyone, staff members are welcoming to a variety of backgrounds and cultures.

I'm still not sure if my family will visit them now. Some, but not all American Civil War enthusiast can be a bit racist as I came to discover. Not all because I connected with many who understand studying the American Civil War is not only for White Americans.

Here is the short list the reenactor and staff member gave.

• Fredericksburg/Spotsylvania National Military Park, Virginia. His notes: (I worked there and know the staff pretty well. They are good folks)
• Gettysburg National Battlefield, Pennsylvania
• Chickamauga National Battlefield, Georgia
• Andersonville Prison, Georgia
• U.S.S. Monitor Museum, Virginia
• Museum of Civil War Medicine, Maryland 

I think many of these I saved already, but some I haven't. I have been particularly uncomfortable about Georgia and Virginia although racism is all across the country. Despite of my uncertainty, I would love to visit these sites being an American Civil War researcher.