Miami Lincoln buffs: Town hall coming your way Nov. 1

If you thought Abraham Lincoln's bicentennial celebration was all wrapped up on his February 12th birthday, think again.

The U.S. Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission (ALBC), state and local commissions, communities, colleges, universities and more continue to celebrate the legacy of our 16th commander-in-chief.

Check out this information the ALBC shared with me about a Nov. 1 event in Miami, Fla.

Henry Louis Gates Jr., Alonzo Mourning join the celebration
As Miami joins in the celebration of Abraham Lincoln’s 200th birthday, the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission is proud to host a Lincoln Town Hall exploring the theme of “Lincoln, Miami and the American Dream.”

The Nov. 1 Town Hall will be led by Channel 4 anchorman Antonio Mora. Respected panelists, including Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Alvarez, Schools Superintendent Alberto Carvalho and the Knight Foundation’s Alberto Ibarguen, among others, will weigh in on the impact that Lincoln’s life and words have on the Miami of today.

Dr. Henry Louis Gates Jr., Director of the W.E.B. Dubois Institute for African and African American Research at Harvard University, will also join the dialogue and discuss his new book, Lincoln on Race & Slavery.

In addition, attendees will be treated to the musical works of the Ambassador Chorale of Florida Memorial University and the orchestra of the New World School of Arts, as well as an excerpt from the work “Lincoln’s Portrait”, narrated by former Miami Heat player Alonzo Mourning.

All events are free and open to the public, but an RSVP is required for the Town Hall. Please visit http://www.hmsf.org/lincoln/events.html for more information on event times and locations, and to find out how to RSVP. Like always, you can connect with us and join the discussion today through:

• Facebook http://www.facebook.com/Abraham.Lincoln.Bicentennial.Commission and
• Twitter http://twitter.com/lincoln200yrs.

Mount Pleasant's not just for threshermen

People who know me well will know that I'm not just a Lincoln buff, but also a fan of steam engines. Though I've never made it to the mecca for steam enthusiasts, Mount Pleasant, Iowa, I still hope to someday.

Now Lincoln buffs have a reason to go there, too. Check out this information from the college's website about a Lincoln event today:

Lincoln events planned for Iowa Wesleyan College

Author Burrus Carnahan will speak about his book Act of Justice: Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation and the Law of War on Thursday, October 22, at 11:00 a.m. at Iowa Wesleyan College.

The program will be held in the Chapel Auditorium as part of the Forum series. The Friends of the Harlan-Lincoln House at Iowa Wesleyan College are sponsoring the event.

Act of Justice examines how President Abraham Lincoln came to issue the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863. Carnahan explains that Lincoln did not think he had the authority as President, under the Constitution, to free the slaves. However, he came to understand that he had authority as commander-in-chief of the United States armed forces to free the slaves in the territory that was in rebellion against the Federal Government. He believed that freeing the slaves was in the military interest of saving the Union.

The book is available now in the Iowa Wesleyan College Bookstore and will be available at the College Chapel the day of the presentation. Following the presentation, the author will sign copies of the book.

The Iowa Lincoln Bicentennial Commission has included this event on their calendar of events for this fall. The Bicentennial Commission and Iowa State Historical Society will bring their new traveling exhibit History on the Move: Abraham Lincoln and Iowa to Iowa Wesleyan that day. Mount Pleasant 5th grade classes will tour at specified times, and the exhibit will be open to the public immediately following Carnahan’s presentation until 1:45 p.m. The exhibit will be parked on the driveway northwest of the College Chapel, off of Broad Street.

The Harlan-Lincoln House on the Iowa Wesleyan campus will be open for tours following the presentation until 2:00 p.m. Brochures that detail Harlan and Lincoln sites in Mount Pleasant will be available for anyone who wants to take a self-guided driving tour of these sites. There is no charge for any of these activities.

Burrus Carnahan is a foreign affairs officer in the Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation at the U.S. Department of State. Previously, he was a private sector consultant on international arms control issues and served for 20 years as a lawyer in the U.S. Air Force, where he specialized in the law of war. He has participated in several international negotiations on arms control and the law of war and is author of numerous articles on those subjects. Carnahan is also a lecturer at George Washington University Law School.

Carnahan has local connections; both of his parents attended Iowa Wesleyan, and Carnahan Road is named after his ancestors.