This month’s Cool History program at the National Civil War Naval Museum at Port Columbus will focus on women who served as nurses during the Civil War.

“Their Many Kindnesses” has two central characters -- African American nurse Sarah Kinno served on the USS Red Rover, a military hospital ship and Lila Howard, a member of the Columbus’ Soldiers’ Aid Society.

Ken Johnston, the museum’s curator of education said these women were the first to serve in the Navy and the Red Rover was the first U.S. Navy hospital ship.

The program, called “Their Many Kindnesses,” will be 1-4 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. It begins at 1:30 p.m., followed by a medical tour at 2:30 p.m. in the ward room of the Hartford, which will be turned into a medical station. At 3:30 p.m. a dramatization of the autopsy of John Wilkes Booth, who killed President Abraham Lincoln, will be performed. This part of the program is called “CSI: Port Columbus.”

Twins Alisha and Anitra Thompson, will play Kinno. Alisha will do Saturday’s performance and Anitra will do Sunday’s.

Sue McCraney will play Howard.

Johnston said no new medical breakthroughs were made during the Civil War, and doctors and nurses were mainly concerned with not killing their patients.

However, the U.S. Navy was the first to have a hospital ship and to hire women to work on the ships. And it was the first to hire black nurses.

The book “Susie King Taylor: Reminiscense of My Life in Camp,” which chronicled the life of a Civil War nurse, was helpful to Johnston during his research.

Johnston learned there were four African American nurses aboard the Red Rover.

His version of Sarah Kinno is actually a composite of these four women, taken from letters and journals, he said.

“All we know is her name and that she was a nurse on that ship,” Johnston said.

After each program, audience members may ask questions, which Johnston and the actors try to answer.

“It’s fun to watch the audience and the level of engagement,” said Jon Ezzell, the museum’s public relations manager.

The regular admission prices will apply for Cool History, Johnston said.

“The best way to support the museum is to attend the programs,” he said. “And tell your friends.”

The actors are ready to perform.

“I’m excited,” said Alisha Thompson.

Anitra Thompson agreed. She especially likes the material she has to work with. “It’s well written,” she said.