Lincoln happenings here, there and everywhere

Do you know what Lincoln events are happening – and where? My hope when I learned back in 2000 that Congress had established a Lincoln Bicentennial Commission was that the nation would throw our 16th president and my state’s favorite son one big, huge, birthday bash. In the process, I hoped that the bicentennial would serve to spread enthusiasm and encourage others – young and old – to learn more about Abraham Lincoln.

Now, with the big day less than a month away, I’m happy to say my hopes are coming true, thanks to the hard work of the U.S. Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission, liaisons and commissions in states across the nation, the generosity of individuals and corporations, and a lot of hard work and devotion by people who are dedicated to promoting Lincoln’s legacy.

See earlier article for even more links
Recently, my blog post titled Lincoln Laundry List included links to state bicentennial commission websites and online articles about other events across the country. Be sure to visit that article and the state links there and on the left hand side of my blog for the most current information in each state.

I continue to watch a number of online newspapers and receive several Lincoln-related alerts. Here are some of the events I’ve learned about since my last update. I’ve arranged them by state for your convenience. As I mentioned in my earlier post, some of these articles may be available for a limited amount of time. If so, my article may sprout some broken links. I’ll try to monitor and remove them. My apologies if I don’t catch them right away.

You won’t want to miss these Lincoln events
Please try to attend some of the events listed. Remember, a Lincoln celebration of this magnitude comes but once a century – and we’re here to experience it. Happy celebrating!

District of Columbia
Bicentennial events at National Archives

Florida
Orange County Lincoln Bicentennial Celebration

Kentucky
Bicentennial events

Idaho
Madison County Lincoln Birthday Bash

Illinois
Birthday bell ringing

Indiana
Wabash College Lincoln bicentennial celebration

Iowa
Council Bluffs events

Kansas
Lecompton talks at Constitution Hall

Massachusetts
Community celebration – Bicentennial progamming

New York
Cazenovia Public Library series, “Lincoln and His Vision of Freedom,” with Jason Emerson lecture

Thanks
Lincoln’s birthday party couldn’t come together without people learning about it. Thanks to media specialists across the country who get the word out - and to newspapers, radio and television stations and online media outlets for spreading the word. I couldn’t share it without all of you.

Watch for Illinois-specific information soon
The Illinois Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission, Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum and Looking for Lincoln Heritage Coalition are just some of the groups working to make sure Lincoln’s birthday in Illinois is as special as he is to us.

I’ve been wanting to tell you about these folks and their grandiose contributions to making this birthday one to remember, but other things kept pushing them aside. I didn’t want to rush that article, as I wanted to be sure to do it right. The time has come to get the job done before it’s too late. I’m planning to hold up on other topics until I’ve achieved that goal. Please stay tuned…