More than 150 years of the life and history of Raleigh can be discovered at Historic Oakwood Cemetery. A book talk about “Historic Oakwood Cemetery” by authors Robin Simonton and Bruce Miller will be given Saturday, Aug. 12 at 11 a.m.

The State Library of North Carolina, State Archives of North Carolina and Historic Oakwood Cemetery will host this free event in the auditorium of the Archives and History/State Library Building, 109 E. Jones St., Raleigh.

Oakwood Cemetery evolved from a final resting place for Confederate soldiers to a modern “cemetery full of life,” reflecting more than 150 years of the remarkable history of Raleigh. Many of the men and women who lived that history and developed this Southern capital—from soldiers to politicians to educators and clergy, from merchants and craftsmen to social activists and laborers—now rest in Oakwood, memorialized in monuments that grace this lovely garden cemetery.

The Oakwood Second Line Band will make a special appearance and play several New Orleans second line favorites. The Second Line Band was created in Oakwood Cemetery in 2011 after the funeral of a bandmember’s friend.

Bruce Miller, a former independent school instructor/administrator, holds an AB and MA degree in history from Dartmouth College and UNC-Chapel Hill. He is a cemetery tour guide and the author of “Oakwood to Oakwood Volumes I and II” (2015 and 2017), biographies of those interred in the cemetery who lived in the contiguous district of historic homes, where he resides.

Simonton, executive director of Oakwood Cemetery since November 2011, holds a BA in U.S. history from the University of Hawaii and an MA in Historical Administration from Eastern Illinois University. Robin served as researcher for “Oahu Cemetery: Burial Ground & Historic Site” (1997) and wrote a case study for “Cemetery Tours and Programming: A Guide” (2016).

Immediately following the program, there will be a book signing in the lobby. Copies of “Historic Oakwood Cemetery” will be available for purchase. For more information please contact the State Library of North Carolina, 919-807-7450 or SLNC.reference@ncdcr.gov.