Local Author Will Recount True Civil War Love Story at 2nd Saturdays Program at the State Capitol Aug. 13

RALEIGH – On Saturday, Aug. 13, the Capitol will host a lecture by Suzy Barile, author of “Undaunted Heart: The True Story of a Southern Belle & a Yankee General.” The free lecture takes place at 1 p.m. in the historic Senate Chamber, the final event in this summer’s 2^nd Saturdays series.

At the end of the Civil War, spirited Ella Swain – daughter of a former N.C. governor and University of North Carolina president – shocked citizens across the state when she fell in love with and married the Union general whose troops occupied Chapel Hill . Barile draws on Ella Swain’s never before published letters that reveal a love that transcended outrage and scandal.

Barile, who lives in Cary , is the great-great-granddaughter of Ella Swain and General Smith Atkins. She will discuss her research and the process of separating fact from fiction in writing the true story of this infamous North Carolina romance.

 The lecture is part of the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources’ 2nd Saturdays statewide summer programming series, which showcases North Carolina ’s culture, heritage and arts. Partners in 2nd Saturdays include “Our State” magazine and AT&T, with media sponsorship provided by Public Radio East. For a complete schedule of 2nd Saturdays programs across North Carolina , go to www.ncculture.com or call 919-807-7385.

 The State Capitol’s mission is to preserve and interpret the history, architecture and functions of the 1840 building and Union Square . The Capitol is bounded by Edenton, Salisbury , Morgan and Wilmington streets. For more info rmation on this national historic landmark, visit www.nchistoricsites.org/capitol/default.htm or call (919) 733-4994.

 Administered by the Division of State Historic Sites, the State Capitol is part of the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources, the state agency with the mission to enrich lives and communities, and the vision to harness the state’s cultural resources to build North Carolina ’s social, cultural and economic future. Information on Cultural Resources is available 24/7 at www.ncculture.com.