The Alabama Legislature created the Alabama Civil War Centennial Commission in 1959 to promote a comprehensive Civil War Centennial Commemoration program in Alabama. This program worked in conjunction with the National Centennial Commemoration program. The purpose of the Commission was to focus the attention of the people on Alabama's contributions to the war and to encourage the location and preservation of historical materials pertaining to the war. The Commission was also responsible for working with educators in developing appropriate and useful Centennial programs in schools. The Publicity Advisory Committee, headed by Louis O. Brackeen, operated in the Auburn University Relations Department and all press releases and publications of the Commission originated at Auburn.