Symposium delves into War of 1812

A historic war will take center stage in Charleston next weekend.

The Citadel and Old Exchange Building will sponsor “War of 1812: A Bicentennial Symposium” on Saturday at the Old Exchange on East Bay Street.

The daylong event will feature scholars of the War of 1812, a panel discussion and book-signing reception, organizers said.

The event, which runs from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., will be moderated by Don Hickey, the 2013 General Mark Clark Distinguished Visiting Professor of History at The Citadel, and professor of history at Wayne State College in Nebraska.

Hickey also is touted as one of the nation’s pre-eminent experts on the war, authoring seven books on the conflict, including award-winning “The War of 1812: A Forgotten Conflict.”

The War of 1812 lasted more than two years and included naval battles with warships like the Constitution and such moments as the British burning the White House in Washington. The war stemmed from issues such as trade disputes and impressment of sailors by British troops.

Saturday’s event also will include speeches by several academics, including Alan Taylor, a professor of history at the University of California-Davis. Taylor is touted as one of the most renowned historians of early America, having won the Pulitzer Prize for his 1995 work, “William Cooper’s Town: Power and Persuasion on the Frontier of the Early American Republic.”

Saturday’s event will cost $10 per person. Visit www.oldexchange.org for reservations and more information.