Showing posts with label Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum. Show all posts
Monday, October 28, 2013
Spielberg’s ‘Lincoln’ props to find a home in Springfield
Do you follow the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum on Facebook? If you don’t, you should.
Then you wouldn’t miss news like this exciting announcement: “Key sets, costumes and props” from Steven Spielberg’s movie “Lincoln” will be displayed “for many years to come” in an exhibit, “Lincoln: From History to Hollywood.”
The sets for Lincoln’s office and Mary Lincoln’s bedroom will be in the exhibit at Union Station, across 6th Street from the museum in Springfield, Ill., beginning in early 2014.
The exhibit will also include costumes, such as Lincoln’s suit, some of Mary Lincoln’s dresses and young Tad Lincoln’s Zouave uniform, as well as props like the stethoscope used in the death scene, papers and magazines used as office props, and the gloves Daniel Day Lewis wore in his Academy Award-winning performance of Lincoln.
Union Station will serve as a museum annex, with video presentations about the movie to complement the exhibit.
Admission for children will be free, when accompanied by adults, whose admission charge is $5. A new “full experience” package offers museum visitors a savings, though. For $15, which is $3 more than museum-only admission, adults can see both the museum and its annex “Lincoln” exhibit.
Spielberg and DreamWorks Studios are loaning the items to the museum, with transportation costs covered by the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library Foundation, not tax dollars.
“It is an honor to have this exhibit at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum,” says Spielberg. “When we visited for research on the film, it was our thought that there might be an opportunity to bring such an exhibit to Springfield, and that is now a reality.”
From one Lincoln buff to another, I say, Kudos, Mr. Speilberg! Your movie resurrected the Lincoln story, eliciting a new wave of interest in the 16th President, his life and legacy. Thank you! I can’t wait to see the exhibit.
Visit the ALPLM Facebook announcement to read the full release.
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
A virtual tour of Ford’s Theatre Center for Education and Leadership
Pinsker holds the Brian Pohanka Chair of Civil War History at Dickinson College. He is the author of two books about Lincoln, one of which is “Lincoln’s Sanctuary: Abraham Lincoln and the Soldiers’ Home.” He is also co-director of the House Divided project, which provides 21st century tools to teach 19th century topics in grades K-12.
Check out one of the latest – an inside look at Ford’s Theatre Center for Education and Leadership. Pinsker shared this post on LinkedIn today:
Teacher's Tour of the Ford's Theatre Center for Education and Leadership from The Gilder Lehrman Institute on Vimeo.
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Happy 203rd birthday, President Lincoln
During the Civil War Sesquicentennial years, you won't find me blogging about Abraham Lincoln as much. I'm not a student of military history and many others scholars and bloggers who are much more knowledgeable are writing about this aspect of Lincoln's life. My area of interest and knowledge is Lincoln's early years, his time in Illinois, and Lincoln in literature.
So, currently, I'm devoting much of my writing time to my blog, "Musings on Route 66." When those musings bring me back to Lincoln, I'll post them here, as well. Today is one of those days. As I celebrate Lincoln's birthday in Springfield with many others who share my passion, may you take time to remember him too.
The following post is from "Musings on Route 66," where I also share musings on other things that interest or tug at me.
Since I was a small child, I’ve been smitten with Abraham Lincoln.
Why? A combination of things, probably – things like parents who told me stories of the 16th President and took me to visit Lincoln sites, books that kept Lincoln lore alive, school trips, and living in Illinois, where his aura is so strong. Chances are many of you came to admire him by similar paths.
But I like to think there was one more force even stronger in my Lincoln journey. I was born in a hospital about a block from Old Main at Knox College where a Lincoln-Douglas debate was held in 1858. I have my suspicions that almost 100 years later, there was a bit of “Lincoln dust” still in the air and it blew in the nursery window, landed on my shoulder and left me intrigued with the railsplitter for life.
That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.
Because of this love for Lincoln, or what many call my “obsession,” I started a blog, Lincoln Buff 2, during the Lincoln Bicentennial year.
In celebration of Lincoln’s 203rd birthday, I dug back into the archives for the blog post I wrote just after midnight on Lincoln’s 200th birthday. I spent that week in Springfield and savored all the excitement. Come along. Relive the adventure with me.
From Feb. 12, 2009: "Happy 200th birthday, President Lincoln!
"Here in the Land of Lincoln, the clock just struck midnight. The big day we've looked forward to and planned for is here. It's time to wish Abraham Lincoln a happy 200th birthday.
“As I type this, the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum is hosting an all-night vigil for Lincoln. In conjunction with the vigil, original copies of the Gettysburg Address, Emancipation Proclamation and 13th Amendment are on display.
“Until after 11 p.m., the line to view the documents wound through the lobby, down the hall, into an exhibit holding area and around the museum plaza. It reminded me of a visitation I once attended for a well-loved school teacher who died much too young. As in that case, the people coming today were there to pay their respects to someone whose life made a difference.”
Feb. 12, 2012: Those same three documents are on display again this year, and the 13th amendment is all spruced up, just waiting for your visit.
The celebrations may not be as elaborate and as many this year as during the bicentennial year, but chances are that wherever you are, there are Lincoln birthday events nearby. A great place to keep up with Lincoln happenings year-round is the Abraham Lincoln Online website.
And don’t forget to watch The State Journal-Register’s Abraham Lincoln Observer blog where Mike Kienzler spreads the word about the latest, greatest and sometimes even not-so-great goings-on in the Lincoln world.
Again today, I’ll use the words I used in 2009. I mean them as much now as I did when I wrote them three years ago:
“Please join in a celebration of Lincoln's big day. If you can't, at least take a few minutes to stop and reflect on how the life of one individual can change the course of history. Lincoln mattered then and he still matters today. Remember the life he lived and emulate the values he espoused – hard work, honesty and lifelong learning.”
© Ann Tracy Mueller 2012
(Image via)
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Happy birthday #202, President Lincoln!
Here in Illinois, where we grow up living and breathing the life and legacy of Abraham Lincoln, the prairie lad who made it from a log cabin to the White House, it's not hard to forget what February 12th is, even though someone, sometime, somewhere created some joint birthday celebration and called it President's Day.
Yep, you can't even walk or drive past a vehicle in the Prairie State without being reminded it's the Land of Lincoln. And, that's okay with me. I can be assured that, thanks to my license plate, no matter where I travel on this nation's highways, I'm evangelizing for my pal, Lincoln.
Lincoln lives
Today, folks, Lincoln turns 202. I know, I know, as my coworker friends and old school chums, who constantly rib me, would remind me, "No, Ann, he's not 202. He's dead, remember?"
And, you know what I've got to say about that? John Wilkes Booth may have snuffed the life out of his body, but no one will ever kill his spirit, quelch the "right to rise"* which he so strongly represents. In 1950s, when I first discovered Lincoln, the 1970s when I introduced him to my own daughter, the 1990s, when I shared his story with my first grandson, or the 21st century when we celebrated the bicentennial of his birth and began using all kinds of new technology and mediums to share his story, we can still learn from Lincoln, we can still be inspired by his story.
Take time for Lincoln
Dear reader, today please take a minute to learn something new about Lincoln yourself. Find a Lincoln story you didn't know, discover a Lincoln letter or speech, learn a lesson from the life he lived. Then, when you do, tell someone. Teach a child of 4 or a grandparent of 94.
Find the Lincoln site nearest you and take your friends and family along to visit. Drop in at a senior center or a nursing home and let someone with Lincoln-like wit and wisdom tell you what they remember learning about our 16th President, how he inspired them.
Watch a documentary, read a book, pen your own tribute to Lincoln. But don't let this day pass by without stopping to reflect on how different this country, this state, perhaps even our lives would have been if this man had never lived or risen to a stature not unlike many of his statues - larger than life.
Join us in Springfield
As for me, you'll find me in the same place I was last year and the year before and a Lincoln's birthday when I was a child and Illinois kids still got his birthday as a day out of school - in Springfield. There's tons to do down there all day today, much of it free of cost. If you're in the neighborhood, check out this blog post by my Lincoln blogger colleague, Chris Umhoefer, on his Heart of Lincoln Land blog. I'll be at events at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, Lincoln's Home and more. Hope to see you there!
Follow me on Twitter
I'm also on Twitter as LincolnBuff2. Though my tweets since the bicentennial have become much more eclectic, reflecting many of my interests - books, museums, National Parks, aviation, social media, and my favorite authors, such as Richard Bach and Richard Paul Evans, I still remember Old Abe from time to time.
Today, as I attend events in Springfield, I'll try to tweet when I can. I don't have a snazzy new 3G or 4G phone yet, so my Twitter application is a bit clunky and uncooperative at times. I'll tweet some, though. Please, don't hesitate to tweet a link to this article or retweet my Lincoln's birthday tweets.
Happy Lincoln Day, blogosphere! Ann
* "Right to rise" is a term made famous by Lincoln scholar, Gabor Boritt, a Hungarian refugee, whose own story of rising above adversity is told in a marvelous documentary, Budapest to Gettysburg, directed by his son Jake Boritt.
Yep, you can't even walk or drive past a vehicle in the Prairie State without being reminded it's the Land of Lincoln. And, that's okay with me. I can be assured that, thanks to my license plate, no matter where I travel on this nation's highways, I'm evangelizing for my pal, Lincoln.
Lincoln lives
Today, folks, Lincoln turns 202. I know, I know, as my coworker friends and old school chums, who constantly rib me, would remind me, "No, Ann, he's not 202. He's dead, remember?"
And, you know what I've got to say about that? John Wilkes Booth may have snuffed the life out of his body, but no one will ever kill his spirit, quelch the "right to rise"* which he so strongly represents. In 1950s, when I first discovered Lincoln, the 1970s when I introduced him to my own daughter, the 1990s, when I shared his story with my first grandson, or the 21st century when we celebrated the bicentennial of his birth and began using all kinds of new technology and mediums to share his story, we can still learn from Lincoln, we can still be inspired by his story.
Take time for Lincoln
Dear reader, today please take a minute to learn something new about Lincoln yourself. Find a Lincoln story you didn't know, discover a Lincoln letter or speech, learn a lesson from the life he lived. Then, when you do, tell someone. Teach a child of 4 or a grandparent of 94.
Find the Lincoln site nearest you and take your friends and family along to visit. Drop in at a senior center or a nursing home and let someone with Lincoln-like wit and wisdom tell you what they remember learning about our 16th President, how he inspired them.
Watch a documentary, read a book, pen your own tribute to Lincoln. But don't let this day pass by without stopping to reflect on how different this country, this state, perhaps even our lives would have been if this man had never lived or risen to a stature not unlike many of his statues - larger than life.
Join us in Springfield
As for me, you'll find me in the same place I was last year and the year before and a Lincoln's birthday when I was a child and Illinois kids still got his birthday as a day out of school - in Springfield. There's tons to do down there all day today, much of it free of cost. If you're in the neighborhood, check out this blog post by my Lincoln blogger colleague, Chris Umhoefer, on his Heart of Lincoln Land blog. I'll be at events at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, Lincoln's Home and more. Hope to see you there!
Follow me on Twitter
I'm also on Twitter as LincolnBuff2. Though my tweets since the bicentennial have become much more eclectic, reflecting many of my interests - books, museums, National Parks, aviation, social media, and my favorite authors, such as Richard Bach and Richard Paul Evans, I still remember Old Abe from time to time.
Today, as I attend events in Springfield, I'll try to tweet when I can. I don't have a snazzy new 3G or 4G phone yet, so my Twitter application is a bit clunky and uncooperative at times. I'll tweet some, though. Please, don't hesitate to tweet a link to this article or retweet my Lincoln's birthday tweets.
Happy Lincoln Day, blogosphere! Ann
* "Right to rise" is a term made famous by Lincoln scholar, Gabor Boritt, a Hungarian refugee, whose own story of rising above adversity is told in a marvelous documentary, Budapest to Gettysburg, directed by his son Jake Boritt.
Friday, June 12, 2009
New Lincoln exhibit opens Monday
Though farming wasn't the career of choice for Abraham Lincoln, he certainly had connections to agriculture throughout his life. A new exhibit at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum shows this, and last night I got to see it at a preview reception for museum members. The exhibit, "How Vast and How Varied a Field' The Agricultural Vision of Abraham Lincoln," opens to the public on Monday, June 15.
Watch my blog for more on this fine exhibit and some of what the speaker had to say last night about Lincoln and agriculture. I'll write more in the next few days.
© Copyright 2009 Ann Tracy Mueller. All rights reserved.
Watch my blog for more on this fine exhibit and some of what the speaker had to say last night about Lincoln and agriculture. I'll write more in the next few days.
© Copyright 2009 Ann Tracy Mueller. All rights reserved.
Monday, June 8, 2009
Pursuing Lincoln
My blogging presence has been a little less lately, as I've been catching up on things at home. This week, I'll be on the road a couple days pursuing Lincoln, so I won't have as much time to blog, either. I'll try to fill you in on these events later when I can.
I get to meet Lincoln author Jason Emerson tonight and to attend a foundation members reception for the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum's exhibit, "Illinois Stories: 'How Vast and How Varied a Field,'" later in the week.
Emerson is the author of The Madness of Mary Lincoln and Lincoln the Inventor. He's currently working on a long overdue biography of Robert Todd Lincoln, which should shed new light on this much overlooked Lincoln son.
The ALPLM exhibit features the first John Deere tractor. (No, it wasn't invented in Lincoln's lifetime.) I'm really excited about that event, as my date for the evening will be my 11-year-old grandson. He's joining me as a belated celebration of his birthday, which is today. Happy birthday, fella.
© Copyright 2009 Ann Tracy Mueller. All rights reserved.
I get to meet Lincoln author Jason Emerson tonight and to attend a foundation members reception for the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum's exhibit, "Illinois Stories: 'How Vast and How Varied a Field,'" later in the week.
Emerson is the author of The Madness of Mary Lincoln and Lincoln the Inventor. He's currently working on a long overdue biography of Robert Todd Lincoln, which should shed new light on this much overlooked Lincoln son.
The ALPLM exhibit features the first John Deere tractor. (No, it wasn't invented in Lincoln's lifetime.) I'm really excited about that event, as my date for the evening will be my 11-year-old grandson. He's joining me as a belated celebration of his birthday, which is today. Happy birthday, fella.
© Copyright 2009 Ann Tracy Mueller. All rights reserved.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Burlingame answers call to teach in Springfield
There's excitement in the air in Springfield today. Michael Burlingame is coming to town, and not just to do research at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum (ALPLM) this time. He's coming to live and teach and, okay, to do research, too. After all, he's Michael Burlingame. He's the guy with the mantra, "Get down and dirty in that primary source material." He's the guy who lives the mantra. His new two-volume Abraham Lincoln: A Life is proof positive those primary sources still hold plenty of unmined treasures.
Since 2007, the University of Illinois (UIS) has been without a Lincoln scholar. Philip Shaw Paludan held the university's Naomi B. Lynn Distinguished Chair in Lincoln Studies until his death that year. Burlingame will fill the post well. He feels fortunate for the opportunity. I've walked into the ALPLM library before and spotted Burlingame sitting at a table doing research. He looks so natural there. And, you can be assured he'll spend plenty of time at those tables, as well as in many other repostitories large and small across the prairie state where newpapers, letters and more hold Lincoln stories yet untold.
Burlingame's not the only one who is lucky. We are, too. For decades, many of the leading Lincoln scholars were on the east coast, including Burlingame. We've been blessed with the brilliant Rodney Davis and Doug Wilson in the Lincoln Studies Center at Knox College, Vernon Burton at the University of Illinois until his recent retirement, and others here and there in the Midwest from time and time, but it seemed a shame that the town where Lincoln spent more years than any other didn't have a scholar of this caliber in recent years. Now, we do. And, this Lincoln buff for one is pretty excited about it. Hope you are, too.
Please join me in congratulating Michael Burlingame on this wonderful new opportunity - and UIS on their wisdom in bringing him here. As Steven Covey would say, it's a win-win. What a birthday present to Abraham Lincoln in his bicentennial year!
Learn more
Please read Pete Sherman's story in today's State Journal-Register to learn more about Burlingame's new opportunity. To learn more about Burlingame and his work, visit his website, too.
Since 2007, the University of Illinois (UIS) has been without a Lincoln scholar. Philip Shaw Paludan held the university's Naomi B. Lynn Distinguished Chair in Lincoln Studies until his death that year. Burlingame will fill the post well. He feels fortunate for the opportunity. I've walked into the ALPLM library before and spotted Burlingame sitting at a table doing research. He looks so natural there. And, you can be assured he'll spend plenty of time at those tables, as well as in many other repostitories large and small across the prairie state where newpapers, letters and more hold Lincoln stories yet untold.
Burlingame's not the only one who is lucky. We are, too. For decades, many of the leading Lincoln scholars were on the east coast, including Burlingame. We've been blessed with the brilliant Rodney Davis and Doug Wilson in the Lincoln Studies Center at Knox College, Vernon Burton at the University of Illinois until his recent retirement, and others here and there in the Midwest from time and time, but it seemed a shame that the town where Lincoln spent more years than any other didn't have a scholar of this caliber in recent years. Now, we do. And, this Lincoln buff for one is pretty excited about it. Hope you are, too.
Please join me in congratulating Michael Burlingame on this wonderful new opportunity - and UIS on their wisdom in bringing him here. As Steven Covey would say, it's a win-win. What a birthday present to Abraham Lincoln in his bicentennial year!
Learn more
Please read Pete Sherman's story in today's State Journal-Register to learn more about Burlingame's new opportunity. To learn more about Burlingame and his work, visit his website, too.
© Copyright 2009 Ann Tracy Mueller. All rights reserved.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Thank you, Dr. Donald
Imagine you’re in a room with a hundred or so other people – many of them leading Lincoln scholars – and you have in front of you a panel of three of the top. One has written nearly 30 books to date and isn’t even close to stopping, another is a young academic and author in the early years of his career, but already far more knowledgeable about the subject at hand than others who are much older, and the third is the patriarch of living Lincoln scholars.They’ve gathered to celebrate the opening of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum (ALPLM) – to honor the man whose life and legacy have consumed so much of their own lives and helped to create their own legacies. The three are gathered on a panel moderated by the C-SPAN legend Brian Lamb – a panel brought together to share the perspectives of three generations of Lincoln scholars. The scholars’ names – Harold Holzer, Matthew Pinsker and David Herbert Donald.
Dr. Donald passed away Sunday, May 17, at age 88. I don’t want to believe it, but it must be true. I read it on the New York Times book page.
I can tell you what you’ll read anywhere – that Dr. Donald’s 1995 “Lincoln” was among the most comprehensive single volume Lincoln biographies for years, only to be surpassed by recent works accessing scholarship not available when he did his research.
I can tell you he’s a link in the long chain of Lincoln scholars - that the work of Ida Tarbell, which inspired Donald’s mentor James G. Randall of the University of Illinois, then Donald, lives on today in the lives of those he’s mentored, like Pinsker and Jean H. Baker and others whose names evade me at 5 a.m.
I can tell you he’s a two-time Pulitzer Prize winning author.
I can tell you he held a place of honor and respect in a community of brilliant men and women who share a common bond, even when their opinions differ, who support each other through years of research, who just understand the chord that ties them and can with one look across the aisle in a crowded symposium venue say, “Yep, that’s just what I was thinking.”
Even more, though, I can tell you that just thinking of this man and what he’s meant to my life brings tears to my eyes. In 2005, when I attended the opening celebrations of the ALPLM, I was just another Lincoln enthusiast who had long awaited the opening of the museum honoring our most popular president, my state’s favorite son. I’d admired Lincoln as long as I could remember. I knew about as much about him as any other very amateur history enthusiast and a little more than most Illinois residents, but not much. I was seeking something, not sure where it would take me, and I felt deep down that the answer lie in the sixteenth President.
There was a question and answer session at the end of the panel. I had the opportunity to address Holzer, Pinsker and Donald and my question was something like this, “Do you think someone breaking into the Lincoln community at this stage of life can do significant work on Lincoln, and what advice do you have for them?”
Though the generations separated this 80-something scholar and his 50- and 30-something counterparts, they were unanimous in their answers, “Read, attend scholarly events, surround yourselves with others who share your passion.”
I have, and my one regret is that I don’t know if Dr. Donald knew how much it has changed my life. I wrote a thank you note last Thanksgiving, on my favorite Lincoln note cards. I told Dr. Donald about this blog, thanked him for his encouragement and wished him well. But, I didn’t mail it. I’m not sure why. Maybe I thought just having a Lincoln blog wasn’t enough. Maybe I wanted to be able to say, “Dr. Donald, look, I did it. I wrote my own Lincoln biography.”
Someday, I will. And, you can believe you’ll read his name in the acknowledgements.
For now, I say, thank you, Dr. Donald. Your scholarship, your kind gentle ways, and your encouragement to a middle-aged woman in pursuit of her dreams will continue to inspire me until my name, too, is etched on an obituary page.
My sympathy goes out to Dr. Donald’s wife, his son Bruce and family, and his other family – the legion of scholars who’ve lost their Lincoln dad. He will be missed.
Read more
Here are others’ accounts of Dr. Donald’s life and legacy.
- http://hnn.us/articles/85629.html
- http://hnn.us/roundup/entries/21941.html
- http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/19/books/19donald.html?_r=2&ref=obituaries
- http://hnn.us/roundup/66.html
- http://bonniekaryn.wordpress.com/2009/05/19/david-herbert-donald-in-memoriam-1920-2009/
© Copyright 2009 Ann Tracy Mueller. All rights reserved.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
The day Lincoln got canned
Think you’re about to read a story about Abraham Lincoln getting fired from a job? Think again. That title was just a hook to draw you in so you’d read about a fun project, which will also put food in the bellies of those who need it in Central Illinois.
Read all about a construction project featuring three Lincoln-related sculptures made of cans – and if you’re in Springfield, stop by the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum by May 3, 2009 to see the Canstruction.
Build your own Illinois building
And, while you’re at it, don’t miss this story about an Illinois Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission and Old State Capitol project where you can print kits to build your favorite Lincoln-related buildings – something as simple as one of the Lincoln-Berry store at New Salem, requiring only two pieces of card stock, or as elaborate as the Old State Capitol, with 41 pieces of card stock in all.
As for me, I’ll be printing and building Knox College’s Old Main so I can display it below my William Gray watercolor print of the site of the 1858 Galesburg Lincoln-Douglas Debate. A plaque on that building inspired Carl Sandburg to write about Lincoln, culminating with his six-volume biography. The story, the historic edifice and the print have inspired me for more than 25 years in my studies of Lincoln and Sandburg.
May you, too, always find inspiration to follow your dreams.
© Copyright 2009 Ann Tracy Mueller. All rights reserved.
Read all about a construction project featuring three Lincoln-related sculptures made of cans – and if you’re in Springfield, stop by the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum by May 3, 2009 to see the Canstruction.
Build your own Illinois building
And, while you’re at it, don’t miss this story about an Illinois Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission and Old State Capitol project where you can print kits to build your favorite Lincoln-related buildings – something as simple as one of the Lincoln-Berry store at New Salem, requiring only two pieces of card stock, or as elaborate as the Old State Capitol, with 41 pieces of card stock in all.
As for me, I’ll be printing and building Knox College’s Old Main so I can display it below my William Gray watercolor print of the site of the 1858 Galesburg Lincoln-Douglas Debate. A plaque on that building inspired Carl Sandburg to write about Lincoln, culminating with his six-volume biography. The story, the historic edifice and the print have inspired me for more than 25 years in my studies of Lincoln and Sandburg.
May you, too, always find inspiration to follow your dreams.
© Copyright 2009 Ann Tracy Mueller. All rights reserved.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Want to see what you may have missed?
If you weren’t able to celebrate the bicentennial of Lincoln’s birth in person, it’s not to late to see some of the events you may have missed. As they have been so often, our friends at C-SPAN were there to chronicle some of the happenings.
I had the opportunity to be there myself for several of these, but even I couldn’t be in Washington, D.C. and Springfield at the same time, so the C-SPAN videos allowed me to catch up on the ones I didn’t see.
Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum events
On Sunday, Feb. 8, I had the opportunity to attend two events where several of my favorite Lincoln scholars or enthusiasts presented. You won’t want to miss:
I had the opportunity to be there myself for several of these, but even I couldn’t be in Washington, D.C. and Springfield at the same time, so the C-SPAN videos allowed me to catch up on the ones I didn’t see.
Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum events
On Sunday, Feb. 8, I had the opportunity to attend two events where several of my favorite Lincoln scholars or enthusiasts presented. You won’t want to miss:
- Eric Foner’s talk, “Reflecting on Lincoln”
- The panel discussion moderated by Lincoln memorabilia expert Daniel Weinberg and featuring Lincoln collectors Philip Kunhardt III, Jack Smith, Louise Taper and Frank Williams
Senator Dick Durbin speaks at Lincoln Tribute Dinner
Monday, Feb. 9, Senator Dick Durbin spoke in Washington, D.C. on “What Lincoln Means to Me.” Durbin is a co-chair of the U.S. Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission, a long-time supporter of the need for the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum and a public servant representing the district Lincoln lost to Stephen A. Douglas in 1858. His devotion to keeping the legacy of Lincoln alive is deep-seeded, sincere and much appreciated. We’re fortunate to have him and Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood as champions of Lincoln both in Illinois and for the nation.
Congressional Bicameral Celebration from the U.S. Capitol
On Lincoln’s 200th birthday, Feb. 12, 2009, a special celebration was held in our nation’s Capitol. C-SPAN was there to capture the festivities, including remarks from President Barack Obama. As we waited in Springfield for a Lincoln luncheon to begin, one of my Lincoln buff friends who is a great champion of technology and one of the most social media-savvy fellows I know, was watching coverage from Washington on his cool compact notebook computer. I wasn’t able to that, so I was thankful to find it online later. I think you will be, too.
President Obama speaks at Abraham Lincoln Association Banquet
I was also fortunate to get my ticket early, before we even knew President Obama was coming to Springfield for Lincoln’s birthday bash. Being there when he spoke was almost surreal. It was one of those times in life where you take something in and try to savor every morsel of it, but feel almost as if you’re on the outside looking in. It’s great to have the C-SPAN video of the speech to listen to again and again to recreate the historic moment and to reflect on this new President’s words about the President we’ve long revered.
C-SPAN – Champion of Lincoln legacy
The bicentennial week festivities play only a small part in the commitment C-SPAN has for teaching people about Lincoln through the worldwide web.
C-SPAN continues to promote Lincoln. For earlier coverage of Lincoln events, authors and publications, be sure to return often to:
You’ll also want to check out the C-SPAN book, Great American Historians on Our Sixteenth President, edited by C-SPAN's CEO Brian Lamb and co-president Susan Swain. Profits from the book go to a great cause, as C-SPAN is directing any royalties from the sale of the book to the nonprofit C-SPAN Educational Foundation which creates teaching materials for middle and high school teachers.
My C-SPAN connection
It’s always neat when you have a brush with greatness. My first personal encounter with C-SPAN came in the 1990s when the network came to my hometown of Galesburg (Ill.) to film the Lincoln-Douglas debate reenactment at the Knox College’s Old Main.
My job at the time kept me from participating directly in the event, but many folks whom I knew from the community were dressed in period dress, some of my customers were actors in the production and the store where I worked catered food for the cast of hundreds. I did get to join the audience for a few minutes late in the afternoon and felt the importance of the legacy this piece would leave.
In 2005, when I attended several days of events surrounding the opening of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield, C-SPAN was there. They filmed many of the events I attended, including the dedication ceremony visit by our 43rd President George W. Bush and a then-senator who was to become our 44th President, Barack Obama.
During one of the events, I got to ask a question of a three-generation panel of Lincoln scholars – David Herbert Donald, Harold Holzer and Matthew Pinsker. I knew I wanted to someday do work related to Lincoln, but lamented that I feared I may be coming at it too late in life. I asked the panel, moderated by Brian Lamb, for advice. Their advice was sincere, direct and heart-felt: “Come to events like this one. Study Lincoln. Get to know those who share your passion.” That’s what my journey and this blog are all about.
I didn’t count on having to answer a question myself, though, but Lamb did what he does so well. He asked the million-dollar question – the one that makes the interviewee look inward – and he asked it of me: “If you wrote about Lincoln, what would you write about?”
I didn’t know the answer to the question that day. I just knew then I wanted to help tell the Lincoln story. After three years of introspection, hours of study and time spent in the Lincoln community, I can answer that question, and I have Lamb and his network to thank for it.
Over the next couple years, I’ll be developing my plans for the Lincoln topics I know I can best cover. Along the way, I’ll keep sharing Lincoln-related information with the rest of you. Thanks for visiting Lincoln Buff 2 blog.
And, Mr.Lamb, thanks for asking the question that made me look at my Lincoln interests in a deeper light. You’ll never know what it meant to me.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
One inspiration reflects on another
It never ceases to amaze me how our paths in life sometimes intersect with just the right people to help us uncover our true passions and propel us toward our dreams.
Island holds hidden treasure
I found one of these people on a late afternoon in the early 1990s in a classroom on Arsenal Island in the middle of the Mississippi River. John E. Hallwas, a Western Illinois University professor, regional historian and prolific author, was teaching a course on the literature of Illinois. I knew by the end of that first class period that this course and the instructor were going to leave indelible marks and help forge a new path in my life.
I’d always had an interest in regional history and I truly can’t remember a time when I wasn’t mesmerized by the life and legacy of Abraham Lincoln. Hallwas’s class was going to provide the backdrop I needed to better understand the state which I call home and, as the semester evolved, was to expose me to the literary eloquence of the sixteenth president and the work of authors who wrote of him.
The course and the professor’s encouragement were to lead me down a winding path which continued out of the classroom, through writers’ workshops, onto the pages of Illinois newspapers, into the mediums of corporate communications and out into the world of Lincoln as an enthusiast, lifelong learner and blogger.
Hallwas is now retired from the classroom, but he’s digging deeper than ever into the people and forces that helped to create the Prairie State we know now. When he’s not holed up in some archive or working at home on one of his latest books, you’ll find him traveling from one end of the state to the other, giving talks about Illinois history or his books. From time to time, he steps back to one of his earlier side jobs, providing thought-provoking columns for newspapers in the region.
Hallwas on Lincoln
In that last role, Hallwas recently wrote a series of four articles beginning with Obama’s inauguration and ending on Lincoln’s birthday. The articles cover how Lincoln’s shadow is felt in Illinois and the nation today, the importance of his legacy as a writer, his spiritual journey and why studying Lincoln continues to have value.
I found his columns in the online Lake County Journals:
Hallwas was a big proponent of his students reading their work aloud, so I wasn’t surprised to see him share how it helped mold Lincoln the writer:
Through exposure to such noted books, frequent reading aloud, much effort at writing, and eventual practice at speaking, he gradually developed a feeling for the rhythms of language and a talent for precise word choice. He even wrote a few poems.
One of the things I’ve always liked about reading Hallwas is that he can get his point across and show his authority on a subject without resorting to a bunch of fancy-scmanchy big words and convoluted intellectual discourse. He shared how Lincoln touched his listeners with this same skill:
His years of study and work as a lawyer, starting in 1837, also helped to make him a very capable writer and speaker. In court, he repeatedly used reason (for which he had enormous regard) and plain language (which anyone could understand). His spoken and written comments were never artificially literary but always direct and forceful.
Finding more inspiration
Hallwas’s final article, on why the study of Lincoln is still important, talks about the specific value of several new works or works of recent years. Not surprisingly, some of the authors and works who have captured my attention, inspired me and earned my devotion also got good marks in my mentor’s grade book.
I’m currently reading Daniel Mark Epstein’s The Lincolns: Portrait of a Marriage. Hallwas wrote that Epstein’s book, “…showing how time and adversity can change people, would be a more fascinating read for most book clubs than Doris Kearns Goodwin’s fine book on Lincoln’s cabinet.”
Epstein drew me in and held me tight in the opening pages. I’ve had to set the book aside for a while due to the bicentennial events and other obligations, but you’ll hear why I agree when I’m done reading it. What Hallwas didn’t know when he wrote this is that Epstein is also an engaging speaker and quite personable. I got to hear him and meet him in Springfield. Epstein truly does seem to appreciate his readers as much as they appreciate his work.
As I began my studies of Lincoln, there were others who inspired me – through lectures, answers to my questions or taking time out of their busy schedules to visit with me. Hallwas, too, found value in the work of the following Lincoln scholars who have touched my life.
David Herbert Donald was one of the three-generation panel who gave me advice when the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum opened in 2005. Douglas Wilson of Knox College, in my hometown of Galesburg, has been there for me whenever I’ve needed the answer to a Lincoln question. Though I didn’t get a chance to meet him, Eric Foner’s speech at the Lincoln Bicentennial celebration in Springfield provided a great springboard for my bicentennial week activities. And, when I wanted to learn more about his attraction to Lincoln, Richard Cawardine, the British Lincoln scholar, spent equal time asking me about my own Lincoln interests and providing encouragement.
The life and legacy of Lincoln are an inspiration – to scholars like these, to those who've followed in Lincoln's professions, to politicians like our new President, Barack Obama,and to youngsters of the last couple centuries. Yet, after Hallwas wrote of American’s fascination with Lincoln, he closed his series with the same question I’ve long had.
A more important question for us all, I think, is why some Americans can go through their lives unfascinated by Lincoln, unwilling to read about him, and thus uninfluenced by our most complex and astounding public figure.
Who inspires you?
If you’re reading this blog, you’ve likely been inspired in life by the life and legacy of Abraham Lincoln. If you’re really lucky, you’ve also been inspired and mentored by someone like John Hallwas. In that case, you’ve been truly blessed.
My Hero essay/artwork contest deadline: March 1
Do you have a hero in your life who represents Abraham Lincoln’s heroic qualities? If so, don’t miss out on the chance to share the story and win a trip to the Land of Lincoln. The deadline for My hero essay contest is March 1, 2009. Not a writer? That doesn’t matter. You can also enter with a work of art. See the website for further details.
Island holds hidden treasure
I found one of these people on a late afternoon in the early 1990s in a classroom on Arsenal Island in the middle of the Mississippi River. John E. Hallwas, a Western Illinois University professor, regional historian and prolific author, was teaching a course on the literature of Illinois. I knew by the end of that first class period that this course and the instructor were going to leave indelible marks and help forge a new path in my life.
I’d always had an interest in regional history and I truly can’t remember a time when I wasn’t mesmerized by the life and legacy of Abraham Lincoln. Hallwas’s class was going to provide the backdrop I needed to better understand the state which I call home and, as the semester evolved, was to expose me to the literary eloquence of the sixteenth president and the work of authors who wrote of him.
The course and the professor’s encouragement were to lead me down a winding path which continued out of the classroom, through writers’ workshops, onto the pages of Illinois newspapers, into the mediums of corporate communications and out into the world of Lincoln as an enthusiast, lifelong learner and blogger.
Hallwas is now retired from the classroom, but he’s digging deeper than ever into the people and forces that helped to create the Prairie State we know now. When he’s not holed up in some archive or working at home on one of his latest books, you’ll find him traveling from one end of the state to the other, giving talks about Illinois history or his books. From time to time, he steps back to one of his earlier side jobs, providing thought-provoking columns for newspapers in the region.
Hallwas on Lincoln
In that last role, Hallwas recently wrote a series of four articles beginning with Obama’s inauguration and ending on Lincoln’s birthday. The articles cover how Lincoln’s shadow is felt in Illinois and the nation today, the importance of his legacy as a writer, his spiritual journey and why studying Lincoln continues to have value.
I found his columns in the online Lake County Journals:
- Hallwas: Obama’s inauguration and the shadow of Lincoln
- Hallwas: Lincoln as a writer
- Hallwas: Lincoln’s spiritual journey
- Hallwas: The quest to understand Lincoln
Hallwas was a big proponent of his students reading their work aloud, so I wasn’t surprised to see him share how it helped mold Lincoln the writer:
Through exposure to such noted books, frequent reading aloud, much effort at writing, and eventual practice at speaking, he gradually developed a feeling for the rhythms of language and a talent for precise word choice. He even wrote a few poems.
One of the things I’ve always liked about reading Hallwas is that he can get his point across and show his authority on a subject without resorting to a bunch of fancy-scmanchy big words and convoluted intellectual discourse. He shared how Lincoln touched his listeners with this same skill:
His years of study and work as a lawyer, starting in 1837, also helped to make him a very capable writer and speaker. In court, he repeatedly used reason (for which he had enormous regard) and plain language (which anyone could understand). His spoken and written comments were never artificially literary but always direct and forceful.
Finding more inspiration
Hallwas’s final article, on why the study of Lincoln is still important, talks about the specific value of several new works or works of recent years. Not surprisingly, some of the authors and works who have captured my attention, inspired me and earned my devotion also got good marks in my mentor’s grade book.
I’m currently reading Daniel Mark Epstein’s The Lincolns: Portrait of a Marriage. Hallwas wrote that Epstein’s book, “…showing how time and adversity can change people, would be a more fascinating read for most book clubs than Doris Kearns Goodwin’s fine book on Lincoln’s cabinet.”
Epstein drew me in and held me tight in the opening pages. I’ve had to set the book aside for a while due to the bicentennial events and other obligations, but you’ll hear why I agree when I’m done reading it. What Hallwas didn’t know when he wrote this is that Epstein is also an engaging speaker and quite personable. I got to hear him and meet him in Springfield. Epstein truly does seem to appreciate his readers as much as they appreciate his work.
As I began my studies of Lincoln, there were others who inspired me – through lectures, answers to my questions or taking time out of their busy schedules to visit with me. Hallwas, too, found value in the work of the following Lincoln scholars who have touched my life.
David Herbert Donald was one of the three-generation panel who gave me advice when the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum opened in 2005. Douglas Wilson of Knox College, in my hometown of Galesburg, has been there for me whenever I’ve needed the answer to a Lincoln question. Though I didn’t get a chance to meet him, Eric Foner’s speech at the Lincoln Bicentennial celebration in Springfield provided a great springboard for my bicentennial week activities. And, when I wanted to learn more about his attraction to Lincoln, Richard Cawardine, the British Lincoln scholar, spent equal time asking me about my own Lincoln interests and providing encouragement.
The life and legacy of Lincoln are an inspiration – to scholars like these, to those who've followed in Lincoln's professions, to politicians like our new President, Barack Obama,and to youngsters of the last couple centuries. Yet, after Hallwas wrote of American’s fascination with Lincoln, he closed his series with the same question I’ve long had.
A more important question for us all, I think, is why some Americans can go through their lives unfascinated by Lincoln, unwilling to read about him, and thus uninfluenced by our most complex and astounding public figure.
Who inspires you?
If you’re reading this blog, you’ve likely been inspired in life by the life and legacy of Abraham Lincoln. If you’re really lucky, you’ve also been inspired and mentored by someone like John Hallwas. In that case, you’ve been truly blessed.
My Hero essay/artwork contest deadline: March 1
Do you have a hero in your life who represents Abraham Lincoln’s heroic qualities? If so, don’t miss out on the chance to share the story and win a trip to the Land of Lincoln. The deadline for My hero essay contest is March 1, 2009. Not a writer? That doesn’t matter. You can also enter with a work of art. See the website for further details.
Saturday, February 14, 2009
My Lincoln’s Birthday adventure – Part One
No matter how hard I try, I don’t think I can ever possibly recreate for all of you what a absolutely magical experience my bicentennial adventure was. My last blog post was written early in the morning of Lincoln’s birthday, as I was still looking forward to the festivities of his day. They didn’t disappoint.
I’m sorry I didn’t get a chance to fill you in on the big day sooner. Between getting back to the room late from the banquet, getting up early to check out of my motel Friday and trying to get to my first event on time, I didn’t get to it. Friday was a full day, too, with no computer time. I’ll try to share some of Thursday’s highlights with you now, with more to follow on the rest of Thursday’s and Friday’s activities.
On Friday, Feb. 12, 2009 – Lincoln’s 200th birthday – a number of Springfield venues were hosting a multitude of exciting events – from the simultaneous reading of the Gettysburg Address at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum to roundtables, panel discussions, birthday stamp cancellations and more. Oh, and there was that little matter of the 44th President of the United States Barack Obama’s visit to the 16th President’s birthday party.
I had a list of events which covered several pages on the spreadsheet I’d prepared, and I’d originally planned to attend one after another from 8:15 a.m. until after 10 p.m. The challenges of getting where I needed to be with all the modifications to traffic patterns and accessibility due to the Presidential visit changed that, however. So, though I attended far fewer events than I’d earlier anticipated, it made my day no less exhilarating and memorable.
Writing Lincoln for children
I started the day attending an early morning panel discussion at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library, which featured the following children’s authors and illustrators:
I’m sorry I didn’t get a chance to fill you in on the big day sooner. Between getting back to the room late from the banquet, getting up early to check out of my motel Friday and trying to get to my first event on time, I didn’t get to it. Friday was a full day, too, with no computer time. I’ll try to share some of Thursday’s highlights with you now, with more to follow on the rest of Thursday’s and Friday’s activities.
On Friday, Feb. 12, 2009 – Lincoln’s 200th birthday – a number of Springfield venues were hosting a multitude of exciting events – from the simultaneous reading of the Gettysburg Address at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum to roundtables, panel discussions, birthday stamp cancellations and more. Oh, and there was that little matter of the 44th President of the United States Barack Obama’s visit to the 16th President’s birthday party.
I had a list of events which covered several pages on the spreadsheet I’d prepared, and I’d originally planned to attend one after another from 8:15 a.m. until after 10 p.m. The challenges of getting where I needed to be with all the modifications to traffic patterns and accessibility due to the Presidential visit changed that, however. So, though I attended far fewer events than I’d earlier anticipated, it made my day no less exhilarating and memorable.
Writing Lincoln for children
I started the day attending an early morning panel discussion at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library, which featured the following children’s authors and illustrators:
- Bob Burleigh
- Catherine Clinton
- Cheryl Harness
- Betty Kay
- Wendell Minor
- Karen Winnick
This event was a bit less well attended than most of the author events I’d experienced earlier in the week – due in part, I believe, to the early morning time slot (8:15 a.m.) and the proximity to the time of other events such as the simultaneous reading of the Gettysburg Address and the Abraham Lincoln Association Roundtable – The Age of Lincoln.
It’s a shame more people didn’t make this one, as it was phenomenal. The panelists discussed everything from their school days to the joy of visiting a classroom to encourage young people to read and follow their own dreams. I
’ve attended a number of writer workshops through the years, where recent retirees or young parents attending just know they have the next great kids’ book within them - one story they just know they’re destined to tell – something deep within their imagination. These folks usually don't have a clue as to what goes into writing a children's book.
These Lincoln authors, on the other hand, do. They told of the years of research put into one 32-page illustrated children’s book, the reality of rejection slips and the way each came to the trade – often twisted paths, but certainly worth the journey.
Abraham Lincoln Association Roundtable – The Age of Lincoln
I always love attending events in the courtroom of the Old State Capitol – looking over the contemporary scholars’ heads at the larger-than-life painting of George Washington, knowing that this is the very building where Lincoln delivered his “House Divided” speech, and that, just as he made history, history was being made again this week.
The 9:15 a.m. event was moderated by quintessential Lincoln scholar Michael Burlingame whose new one million-word, 2,000 page, two-volume Lincoln biography will likely still hold a place of great value in the Lincoln world one hundred years from now when America celebrates Lincoln’s tricentennial.
Others on the panel were:
- Vernon Burton
- David Contosta
- Daniel Walker Howe
- Russell McClintock
- Elizabeth Varnon
It was interesting hearing the unique perspectives each brought – from that of Burton, a former Mississippi scholar now living in the Land of Lincoln to Russell McClintock, who uses his PhD in U.S. history to challenge the minds of high school students. The panelists engaged in thought-provoking dialogue on their areas of Lincoln expertise, but drew upon humor often enough to keep the crowd entertained.
Off to more Lincoln adventures
I’ll tell you more later about the remaining Thursday and Friday events – a lunch with Michael Burlingame, the challenges of getting to the evening venue through presidential security and the excitement of being in the same room with the President of the United States, 899 other people and what seemed like an army of security people.
For now, though, I’m headed back to Springfield one last time for the week, grandchildren in tow. I want to make sure they, too have memories of Lincoln bicentennial events to share with their own grandchildren someday – little ones not yet born who may, as adults attend Lincoln’s 300th birthday celebration.
In many places across Illinois and the country, it’s still not too late to take in some additional bicentennial events near you. Check the bicentennial calendar for more information.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Party till you drop - Lincoln buff's still standing
The Lincoln Buff had another big day Wednesday, from waking up to find that The State Journal-Register had used the interview with me in their bicentennial coverage to an interview on KBS, a Korean telelevision station, in the afternoon - right in front of the statue I use for the Lincoln image on my blog.
As I walked in the morning drizzle from my car to my first event, I passed under the Lincoln image Chris Killham created in Post-It Notes in the suspended walkway connecting the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum and Library (ALPLM).
Springfield's farewell to Lincoln
After blogging most of my morning away, I went to the Farewell from Springfield event at the Prairie Capital Convention Center - an event which commemorated Lincoln's last day in Springfield before leaving for the White House on Feb. 11, 1861. The venue was filled with Springfield fifth graders. When I arrived, the atmosphere was electric, with nearly every voice in the house cheering loudly for Lincoln. I mentioned to the gentleman sitting next to me that this must have been what it was like at the Lincoln-Douglas Debates, where thousands were there to raise their voices for the railsplitter.
It was a very nice event with a band and color guard from Lincoln's era, a series of great little vignettes portraying the months leading up to the Lincoln's leaving and Fritz Klein as Lincoln delivering the Gettysburg Address. Everytime I hear Klein deliver it, it gives me goosebumps and almost brings me to tears.
The Lincoln Project
From there I walked back to the museum to take in the exhibit, The Lincoln Project, paintings by Don Pollack. The images are riveting and the exhibit one you won't want to miss. Be sure to read the wall plaque which talks about the artist and what his goal is in creating Lincoln works.
ALPLM - Always a good invesment of time
From there, I took in two of my museum favorites, Ghosts of the Library, and Lincoln's Eyes. No matter how many times I see these, they, too, give me goosebumps.
Wednesday was a good day to view and digest the library's exhibits. It wasn't very busy yet, so I could linger and see with greater depth many of the exhibits I'd passed quickly through in earlier visits.
Library staff to the rescue
In the afternoon, I dropped by to use a computer in the Presidential Library so I could see if my blog had had visits from the last two states. In the blog's four-month lifespan, visitors had come from the other 48. To my delight, there was only one holdout. With a little help from an archivist who suggested I call a historical society in the state - and a quick phone call to the number she found - the blog can now boast it's the place where all fifty states come to learn more about the Lincoln legacy.
One Destiny - A look back to Ford's Theatre
Lincoln Buffs who are in Washington, D.C. can visit the Ford's Theatre to take in a great little two-man play, One Destiny, a one-act piece which explores the events leading up to the assassination and the impact of that one night on the theatre and those connected with it. And, this week only, visitors to the ALPLM can see it, too. The play is phenomenal - and moves those in the audience to think a little deeper about that fateful act, the place where it took place and the place the event holds in memory. If you can, go see it.
First former slave to own Illinois land
A little-known and important story in Illinois history is the story of Free Frank McWorter, the first former slave to purchase Illinois soil (after purchasing his own freedom), and the founder of the Pike County town, New Philadelphia. The Illinois State Museum hosted a thought-provoking program with Abdul Alkalimat, great-great grandson of Free Frank. Though I missed what my friends describe as a magnificent symphony concert, hearing this talk was well worth it. McWorter was a contemporary of Lincoln, with parallels between the lives of the two men and their journeys to Illinois, yet Alkalimit touched on even deeper aspects of what community and the legacy all must build and pass on. It was a great event to celebrate Humble Beginnings in Lincoln's Illinois.
Reverence for the railsplitter - Dedication to his documents
I closed the eve of the bicentennial with a return visit to the ALPLM, where the Gettysburg Address, Emancipation Proclamation and 13th Amendment were displayed. Lincoln's legacy and these documents took on even greater meaning after the McWorter event. The crowd was incredible, and as for the visitation of a dear friend or a revered community member, no one complained at having to wait. As of 11 p.m., more than 1,000 had stood in that line.
I stepped into the museum's Union Theatre for readings of some of Lincoln's own words and works by others such as Carl Sandburg, Edward Lee Masters and Doris Kearns Goodwin, done by Lincoln presenter Michael Krebs, Mary Todd Lincoln presenter Debra Lee Miller and others. It was a relaxing way to end my day. I even found myself nodding off a bit - not in boredom, but in that peaceful way as when a loved one is reading a favorite story to put a youngster to sleep.
Lingering image symbolic of lasting legacy
This morning, I awoke to one final image - that of a young sailor in uniform and his family I met on their way to the vigil after 11 p.m. This image seemed so apropro - a tall lanky man, accompanied by a wife bundled against the cold - the couple with one babe wrapped tightly and bundled,too, and another tagging along held by a hand. I couldn't help but compare them to another couple who walked these Springfield streets with youngsters in tow 150-some years ago - another couple who knew what it meant to be American and to leave a legacy - a legacy of service, a reverence for the past, a dedication to the principles on which this nation was founded and for which it stands yet today.
God bless that couple, God bless America and God bless the memory of Abraham Lincoln.
I
As I walked in the morning drizzle from my car to my first event, I passed under the Lincoln image Chris Killham created in Post-It Notes in the suspended walkway connecting the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum and Library (ALPLM).
Springfield's farewell to Lincoln
After blogging most of my morning away, I went to the Farewell from Springfield event at the Prairie Capital Convention Center - an event which commemorated Lincoln's last day in Springfield before leaving for the White House on Feb. 11, 1861. The venue was filled with Springfield fifth graders. When I arrived, the atmosphere was electric, with nearly every voice in the house cheering loudly for Lincoln. I mentioned to the gentleman sitting next to me that this must have been what it was like at the Lincoln-Douglas Debates, where thousands were there to raise their voices for the railsplitter.
It was a very nice event with a band and color guard from Lincoln's era, a series of great little vignettes portraying the months leading up to the Lincoln's leaving and Fritz Klein as Lincoln delivering the Gettysburg Address. Everytime I hear Klein deliver it, it gives me goosebumps and almost brings me to tears.
The Lincoln Project
From there I walked back to the museum to take in the exhibit, The Lincoln Project, paintings by Don Pollack. The images are riveting and the exhibit one you won't want to miss. Be sure to read the wall plaque which talks about the artist and what his goal is in creating Lincoln works.
ALPLM - Always a good invesment of time
From there, I took in two of my museum favorites, Ghosts of the Library, and Lincoln's Eyes. No matter how many times I see these, they, too, give me goosebumps.
Wednesday was a good day to view and digest the library's exhibits. It wasn't very busy yet, so I could linger and see with greater depth many of the exhibits I'd passed quickly through in earlier visits.
Library staff to the rescue
In the afternoon, I dropped by to use a computer in the Presidential Library so I could see if my blog had had visits from the last two states. In the blog's four-month lifespan, visitors had come from the other 48. To my delight, there was only one holdout. With a little help from an archivist who suggested I call a historical society in the state - and a quick phone call to the number she found - the blog can now boast it's the place where all fifty states come to learn more about the Lincoln legacy.
One Destiny - A look back to Ford's Theatre
Lincoln Buffs who are in Washington, D.C. can visit the Ford's Theatre to take in a great little two-man play, One Destiny, a one-act piece which explores the events leading up to the assassination and the impact of that one night on the theatre and those connected with it. And, this week only, visitors to the ALPLM can see it, too. The play is phenomenal - and moves those in the audience to think a little deeper about that fateful act, the place where it took place and the place the event holds in memory. If you can, go see it.
First former slave to own Illinois land
A little-known and important story in Illinois history is the story of Free Frank McWorter, the first former slave to purchase Illinois soil (after purchasing his own freedom), and the founder of the Pike County town, New Philadelphia. The Illinois State Museum hosted a thought-provoking program with Abdul Alkalimat, great-great grandson of Free Frank. Though I missed what my friends describe as a magnificent symphony concert, hearing this talk was well worth it. McWorter was a contemporary of Lincoln, with parallels between the lives of the two men and their journeys to Illinois, yet Alkalimit touched on even deeper aspects of what community and the legacy all must build and pass on. It was a great event to celebrate Humble Beginnings in Lincoln's Illinois.
Reverence for the railsplitter - Dedication to his documents
I closed the eve of the bicentennial with a return visit to the ALPLM, where the Gettysburg Address, Emancipation Proclamation and 13th Amendment were displayed. Lincoln's legacy and these documents took on even greater meaning after the McWorter event. The crowd was incredible, and as for the visitation of a dear friend or a revered community member, no one complained at having to wait. As of 11 p.m., more than 1,000 had stood in that line.
I stepped into the museum's Union Theatre for readings of some of Lincoln's own words and works by others such as Carl Sandburg, Edward Lee Masters and Doris Kearns Goodwin, done by Lincoln presenter Michael Krebs, Mary Todd Lincoln presenter Debra Lee Miller and others. It was a relaxing way to end my day. I even found myself nodding off a bit - not in boredom, but in that peaceful way as when a loved one is reading a favorite story to put a youngster to sleep.
Lingering image symbolic of lasting legacy
This morning, I awoke to one final image - that of a young sailor in uniform and his family I met on their way to the vigil after 11 p.m. This image seemed so apropro - a tall lanky man, accompanied by a wife bundled against the cold - the couple with one babe wrapped tightly and bundled,too, and another tagging along held by a hand. I couldn't help but compare them to another couple who walked these Springfield streets with youngsters in tow 150-some years ago - another couple who knew what it meant to be American and to leave a legacy - a legacy of service, a reverence for the past, a dedication to the principles on which this nation was founded and for which it stands yet today.
God bless that couple, God bless America and God bless the memory of Abraham Lincoln.
I
Happy 200th birthday, President Lincoln!
Here in the Land of Lincoln, the clock just struck midnight. The big day we've looked forward to and planned for is here. It's time to wish Abraham Lincoln a happy 200th birthday.
As I type this, the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum is hosting an all night vigil for Lincoln. In conjunction with the vigil, original copies of the Gettysburg Address, Emancipation Proclamation and 13th Amendment are on display.
Until after 11 p.m., the line to view the documents wound through the lobby, down the hall, into an exhibit holding area and around the museum plaza. It reminded me of a visitation I once attended for a well-loved young school teacher who died much too young. As in that case, the people coming today were there to pay their respects to someone whose life made a difference.
The celebration gets even bigger and better tomorrow, as people in Springfield, Washington, D. C. and many places in between hold celebrations. At 9:30 Central Time, school children throughout the nation will join together to read the Gettysburg Address in an effort to break the Guiness world record.
Please join in a celebration of Lincoln's big day. If you can't, at least take a few minutes to stop and reflect on how the life of one individual can change the course of history. Lincoln mattered then and he still matters today. Remember the life he lived and emulate the values he espoused - hard work, honesty and lifelong learning.
Happy birthday, Mr. President!
As I type this, the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum is hosting an all night vigil for Lincoln. In conjunction with the vigil, original copies of the Gettysburg Address, Emancipation Proclamation and 13th Amendment are on display.
Until after 11 p.m., the line to view the documents wound through the lobby, down the hall, into an exhibit holding area and around the museum plaza. It reminded me of a visitation I once attended for a well-loved young school teacher who died much too young. As in that case, the people coming today were there to pay their respects to someone whose life made a difference.
The celebration gets even bigger and better tomorrow, as people in Springfield, Washington, D. C. and many places in between hold celebrations. At 9:30 Central Time, school children throughout the nation will join together to read the Gettysburg Address in an effort to break the Guiness world record.
Please join in a celebration of Lincoln's big day. If you can't, at least take a few minutes to stop and reflect on how the life of one individual can change the course of history. Lincoln mattered then and he still matters today. Remember the life he lived and emulate the values he espoused - hard work, honesty and lifelong learning.
Happy birthday, Mr. President!
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
We did it! Happy birthday, President Lincoln, from all 50 states.
When I started this blog a little over four months ago, never in my wildest dreams did I think that I would have visits from across the country, more than 20 foreign countries and five continents.
As Lincoln's birthday drew near, I was down to a handful of states who hadn't visited. This morning, that handful had dwindled to two. An email to a newspaper editor in one state generated a visit, so there was one lone holdout. Emails and a phone call to newspapers and archivists had yielded no results.
As I lamented my fate to one of the helpful archivists, Jane Ehrenhart, at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library, she offered to look up a phone number for the historical society in the missing state. All it took was one phone call and a helpful young lady from the state's historic preservation agency logged on to the blog while we were on the phone.
It's official, President Lincoln, you've got Lincoln Buffs in all 50 states. Thank you, America.
As Lincoln's birthday drew near, I was down to a handful of states who hadn't visited. This morning, that handful had dwindled to two. An email to a newspaper editor in one state generated a visit, so there was one lone holdout. Emails and a phone call to newspapers and archivists had yielded no results.
As I lamented my fate to one of the helpful archivists, Jane Ehrenhart, at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library, she offered to look up a phone number for the historical society in the missing state. All it took was one phone call and a helpful young lady from the state's historic preservation agency logged on to the blog while we were on the phone.
It's official, President Lincoln, you've got Lincoln Buffs in all 50 states. Thank you, America.
It just keeps getting better
Tuesday, Feb. 9, 2009 started off like most mornings - woke up before the alarm, drank a couple cups of coffee while I checked email, read online news and blogged. After breakfast I headed to my first Lincoln destination of the day in my continuing Bicentennial journey - a visit to the new exhibit at the Illinois State Museum -From Humble Beginnings: Lincoln's Illinois, 1830-1861. It opened Feb. 6 and runs through Jan. 1, 2010.
I just can't say enough good things about the exhibit. It is absolutely fantastic! It's a brilliantly done history lesson covering all the forces in play in the prairie state in the years Lincoln was here. I was impressed from the first wall plaque I read through the final piece I laid eyes on. I had to leave to attend my next event, but hated to, knowing I'd not savored the exhibit to the depth I would have liked. The good news is that since it will be there all year I can go back - and so can you!
The next event contained one pleasant surprise after another. I attended an afternoon reception at the Vachel Lindsay Home - with Illinois Lincoln poet Dan Guillory, the period muscians, Prairie Chickens, readings of Lindsey poems by a spunky little retired school teacher with a booming voice and powerful rhythm, Marge Deffenbaugh, a brief history lesson by Springfield city historian Curtis Mann, and a monologue by talented Mary Todd Smith presenter Kathey Reed. I ended up finding my own moment in the spotlight at that event, as State Journal-Register writer Pete Sherman interviewed me and featured me in an article in today's paper. Thanks, Pete.
As if the moment of fame wasn't enough, I also had a brush with greatness. Artist Sacha Newley was at the event. Newly is a brilliantly gifted artist who portrays his subjects with a depth that's nearly unsurpassed - and the son of actress Joan Collins and late actor Anthony Newley. This curly-headed gent is not only gifted and good-looking, but incredibly gracious. Meeting him was a pleasant surprise and a true pleasure. I'll write more about Newly and his work in a future blog.
The evening event was a lecture at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum by the poet and biographer Daniel Mark Epstein, whose The Lincolns: Portrait of a Marriage is surely the most lyrical Lincoln volume since Sandburg's Lincoln works. The imagery in his narrative is amazing, and it's appears from the rhythms in his prose that he surely must read his work aloud as he writes. Epstein, too, is gracious and appreciative of the loyalty of his readers. Watch for more on him in the coming months as I read his books and share my impressions here.
Another pleasant surprise was bumping into Illinois State Represenative Don Moffitt and a couple of his colleagues. When I was back in Galesburg, working as a grocery clerk (also one of Lincoln's former professions), Moffitt was a customer at the store where I worked. It's always good to see him again.
Now, it's off to another Lincoln adventure...
I just can't say enough good things about the exhibit. It is absolutely fantastic! It's a brilliantly done history lesson covering all the forces in play in the prairie state in the years Lincoln was here. I was impressed from the first wall plaque I read through the final piece I laid eyes on. I had to leave to attend my next event, but hated to, knowing I'd not savored the exhibit to the depth I would have liked. The good news is that since it will be there all year I can go back - and so can you!
The next event contained one pleasant surprise after another. I attended an afternoon reception at the Vachel Lindsay Home - with Illinois Lincoln poet Dan Guillory, the period muscians, Prairie Chickens, readings of Lindsey poems by a spunky little retired school teacher with a booming voice and powerful rhythm, Marge Deffenbaugh, a brief history lesson by Springfield city historian Curtis Mann, and a monologue by talented Mary Todd Smith presenter Kathey Reed. I ended up finding my own moment in the spotlight at that event, as State Journal-Register writer Pete Sherman interviewed me and featured me in an article in today's paper. Thanks, Pete.
As if the moment of fame wasn't enough, I also had a brush with greatness. Artist Sacha Newley was at the event. Newly is a brilliantly gifted artist who portrays his subjects with a depth that's nearly unsurpassed - and the son of actress Joan Collins and late actor Anthony Newley. This curly-headed gent is not only gifted and good-looking, but incredibly gracious. Meeting him was a pleasant surprise and a true pleasure. I'll write more about Newly and his work in a future blog.
The evening event was a lecture at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum by the poet and biographer Daniel Mark Epstein, whose The Lincolns: Portrait of a Marriage is surely the most lyrical Lincoln volume since Sandburg's Lincoln works. The imagery in his narrative is amazing, and it's appears from the rhythms in his prose that he surely must read his work aloud as he writes. Epstein, too, is gracious and appreciative of the loyalty of his readers. Watch for more on him in the coming months as I read his books and share my impressions here.
Another pleasant surprise was bumping into Illinois State Represenative Don Moffitt and a couple of his colleagues. When I was back in Galesburg, working as a grocery clerk (also one of Lincoln's former professions), Moffitt was a customer at the store where I worked. It's always good to see him again.
Now, it's off to another Lincoln adventure...
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Join in all-night Lincoln vigil - See original Gettysburg Address, Emancipation Proclamation, 13th Amendment
Please join me and other Lincoln buffs in Springfield at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum (ALPLM) for an all-night vigil, starting at 5 p.m Wednesday, Feb. 11, and ending at 8 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 12, Lincoln's 200th birthday. This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see original copies of the Gettysburg Address, Emancipation Proclamation and 13th Amendment all in one place.
Here's the information my friends at the ALPLM asked me to share. Won't you please join us?
“Now he belongs to the ages.”
Three key Lincoln documents to be displayed during overnight Lincoln’s Birthday vigil at Presidential Museum
Three of the world’s most significant, original Abraham Lincoln documents will be displayed in the overnight hours leading up to his 200th birthday, a first-of-its-kind vigil in the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum that will remind visitors why our 16th President’s legacy continues to fascinate and inspire people from around the globe.
Entitled “Now he belongs to the ages” after a phrase uttered by Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton upon Lincoln’s death, the vigil will feature the Gettysburg Address, the Emancipation Proclamation, and the 13th Amendment which abolished slavery.
All three original documents from the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum may be viewed overnight beginning at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, February 11 through 8 a.m. on Lincoln’s 200th birthday, Thursday, February 12. The viewing is free and open to the public, and will take place in a dramatic setting in the plaza of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum.
Boy Scout Troop 222 from Buffalo and Girl Scout Troop 5505 from Ashland will participate in opening and closing flag ceremonies during the vigil. Members of the U.S. armed services will also take part. Michael Krebs of Chicago, as Abraham Lincoln, will present readings of Lincoln’s words from 9 to 11 p.m. February 11 in the Museum’s Union Theater.
“Museum visitors often tell us the facility makes them proud to be Illinoisans. It’s our mission to raise awareness, but during the Bicentennial we also want to raise a few goose bumps. After all, what we do isn’t just about making good citizens, it’s also about making family memories based on awe and inspiration. Those who come to the museum for the vigil are in for a special night,” said Jan Grimes, acting director of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum (ALPLM).
The Gettysburg Address is one of five original copies of the famous speech written in Lincoln’s hand. He wrote this one for Edward Everett, the principal speaker on November 19, 1863, and it was the first to include the phrase “under God.” The two-page Address is mounted inside its own specially-designed frame, which measures approximately 30 by 22 inches.
The Emancipation Proclamation is one of the officially printed commemorative copies that Lincoln signed in full, along with Secretary of State William Seward and Lincoln’s private secretary, John G. Nicolay. It is fortunate that the commemorative printing was ordered, because Lincoln’s original manuscript was lost in the Chicago Fire of 1871. The Proclamation measures approximately 27 by 20 inches.
The 13th Amendment is the fully signed manuscript Resolution from the House of Representatives, bearing signatures from Lincoln, Vice President Hannibal Hamlin, and 142 members of the House. From there it went to the state legislatures for ratification, and became a formal part of the U.S. Constitution in December 1865 after enough states passed it. The document is approximately 20 inches tall by 15 inches wide.
Full transcripts of each document, with brief descriptions, will be available for all visitors.
The Museum Plaza where the three documents will be displayed is a grand venue with a 70-foot ceiling and full-size reproductions of a log cabin* and the 1861 White House. Ambient light accented by exhibit lighting of less than 15 footcandles of illumination will make for a dramatic, moving and reverent display of these three important pieces of world history.
“Now he belongs to the ages” will be the first event of Lincoln’s 200th birthday on February 12. Springfield visitors are encouraged to take part in the other Lincoln Bicentennial events of that day, including:
Here's the information my friends at the ALPLM asked me to share. Won't you please join us?
“Now he belongs to the ages.”
Three key Lincoln documents to be displayed during overnight Lincoln’s Birthday vigil at Presidential Museum
Three of the world’s most significant, original Abraham Lincoln documents will be displayed in the overnight hours leading up to his 200th birthday, a first-of-its-kind vigil in the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum that will remind visitors why our 16th President’s legacy continues to fascinate and inspire people from around the globe.
Entitled “Now he belongs to the ages” after a phrase uttered by Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton upon Lincoln’s death, the vigil will feature the Gettysburg Address, the Emancipation Proclamation, and the 13th Amendment which abolished slavery.
All three original documents from the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum may be viewed overnight beginning at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, February 11 through 8 a.m. on Lincoln’s 200th birthday, Thursday, February 12. The viewing is free and open to the public, and will take place in a dramatic setting in the plaza of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum.
Boy Scout Troop 222 from Buffalo and Girl Scout Troop 5505 from Ashland will participate in opening and closing flag ceremonies during the vigil. Members of the U.S. armed services will also take part. Michael Krebs of Chicago, as Abraham Lincoln, will present readings of Lincoln’s words from 9 to 11 p.m. February 11 in the Museum’s Union Theater.
“Museum visitors often tell us the facility makes them proud to be Illinoisans. It’s our mission to raise awareness, but during the Bicentennial we also want to raise a few goose bumps. After all, what we do isn’t just about making good citizens, it’s also about making family memories based on awe and inspiration. Those who come to the museum for the vigil are in for a special night,” said Jan Grimes, acting director of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum (ALPLM).
The Gettysburg Address is one of five original copies of the famous speech written in Lincoln’s hand. He wrote this one for Edward Everett, the principal speaker on November 19, 1863, and it was the first to include the phrase “under God.” The two-page Address is mounted inside its own specially-designed frame, which measures approximately 30 by 22 inches.
The Emancipation Proclamation is one of the officially printed commemorative copies that Lincoln signed in full, along with Secretary of State William Seward and Lincoln’s private secretary, John G. Nicolay. It is fortunate that the commemorative printing was ordered, because Lincoln’s original manuscript was lost in the Chicago Fire of 1871. The Proclamation measures approximately 27 by 20 inches.
The 13th Amendment is the fully signed manuscript Resolution from the House of Representatives, bearing signatures from Lincoln, Vice President Hannibal Hamlin, and 142 members of the House. From there it went to the state legislatures for ratification, and became a formal part of the U.S. Constitution in December 1865 after enough states passed it. The document is approximately 20 inches tall by 15 inches wide.
Full transcripts of each document, with brief descriptions, will be available for all visitors.
The Museum Plaza where the three documents will be displayed is a grand venue with a 70-foot ceiling and full-size reproductions of a log cabin* and the 1861 White House. Ambient light accented by exhibit lighting of less than 15 footcandles of illumination will make for a dramatic, moving and reverent display of these three important pieces of world history.
“Now he belongs to the ages” will be the first event of Lincoln’s 200th birthday on February 12. Springfield visitors are encouraged to take part in the other Lincoln Bicentennial events of that day, including:
- A simultaneous, nationwide reading of the Gettysburg Address originating from the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum at 9:30 a.m., and featuring Illinois schoolchildren.
- The 75th Annual National American Legion Pilgrimage to Lincoln Tomb, 10:30 a.m.
- The Lincoln Authors Book Fair featuring more than 20 authors signing copies of their Lincoln books, all day, Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library.
- 1860s Period Ball featuring Civil War era music, dancing and fashions, and the cutting of Lincoln’s birthday cake, 6 p.m., Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum.
For more information on Bicentennial activities or the ALPLM, visit http://www.lincoln200.net/.
* The image of young Lincoln reading, which you see on the Lincoln Buff 2 blog, is of the statue outside the log cabin at the ALPLM. I took it on the opening day of the museum in April 2005, the day I waited in line to be the seventh paying visitor.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
