Peter Carmichael American Historian and Director of the Civil War Institute at Gettysburg College has died

Peter S. Carmichael Death: Peter Carmichael born (February 13, 1966–July 20, 2024) was an American historian at Gettysburg College who served as Robert C. Fluhrer Professor of Civil War Studies and Director of the Civil War Institute at the college. Peter Carmichael passed away early Saturday, 20 July, 2024. In a statement, Peter family said he died after a medical emergency.

His research and teaching interests included the American Civil War, the American South, and public history. Carmichael earned his B.A. from Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis in 1988 and finished his graduate studies under Gary Gallagher at Pennsylvania State University, where he acquired his PhD in 1996. Carmichael started his academic career at Western Carolina University in 1997. In 1999, he served as the first Scholar-in-Residence at Gettysburg National Military Park.

He went on to teach at the University of North Carolina in Greensboro and West Virginia University before arriving at Gettysburg College as Robert C. Fluhrer Professor of Civil War Studies, and Director of the Civil War Institute at Gettysburg College in 2010.

When he took charge of the Civil War Institute, Carmichael sought to create more intimate environments during the Institute’s annual summer conference, attended by over 200 people each year, to allow scholars to work with the public in smaller settings. Carmichael also served on the Board of Directors and the Historians’ Council of the Gettysburg Foundation, the non-profit partner of Gettysburg National Military Park. He was reappointed as a Distinguished Lecturer for the Organization of American Historians for 2017-2018.

He was co-editor of the Civil War America series from the University of North Carolina Press At a loss to understand the sudden death of Pete Carmichael, the head of the Civil War Institute at Gettysburg College. He was integral in getting me to go back to university for a history master’s degree.

Peter Carmichael obituary and funeral arrangements will be released by the family.