Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission

The Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission (ALBC) was the Congressionally created 14-member federal commission focused on planning and commemorating the 200th birthday of the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

' 16th president

Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...

on February 12, 2009. The commission served for ten years, from 2000 to 2010. Its official successor organization, announced in 2011 with an expanded board and broadened mission, is The Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Foundation

Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Foundation

The newly reconstituted Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Foundation is the successor organization of the U.S. Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission , which was created by Congress and the President of the United States to plan the commemoration of Abraham Lincoln’s 200th birthday in 2009...

Commissioners

The ALBC was established by the passage of the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission Act in 2000 (Public Law No: 106-173). The commission's 14 members were a diverse group of political leaders, jurists, scholars and collectors, chosen for their knowledge of Lincoln and their experience educating the public on his life, times, and historical impact. The Commissioners were appointed by the President

President of the United States

The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....

, the United States House of Representatives

United States House of Representatives

The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...

and the United States Senate

United States Senate

The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...

, with input from the governors of Illinois, Indiana, and Kentucky. Commissioners included:

Richard J. Durbin, United States Senator from Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...

, ALBC Co-chair
Harold Holzer
Harold Holzer
Harold Holzer is a scholar of Abraham Lincoln and the political culture of the American Civil War Era. He served for nine years as co-chairman of the United States Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission , appointed to the commission by President Bill Clinton in 2000 and elected co-chair by his...

, ALBC Co-chair and Senior Vice President for External Affairs at the Metropolitan Museum of Art
Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Metropolitan Museum of Art is a renowned art museum in New York City. Its permanent collection contains more than two million works, divided into nineteen curatorial departments. The main building, located on the eastern edge of Central Park along Manhattan's Museum Mile, is one of the...

.
Dr. Jean Bandler
Dr. Darrel E. Bigham, professor of history at Southern Indiana University
Dr. Gabor Boritt
Gabor Boritt
Gabor S. Boritt was the Robert Fluhrer Professor of Civil War Studies and Director of the Civil War Institute at Gettysburg College. Born in World War II Hungary, he participated as a teenager in the 1956 revolution against the Soviet Union. He escaped to the United States, where he received his...

, Robert Fluhrer, Professor of Civil War Studies and Director of the Civil War Institute
Civil War Institute at Gettysburg College
The Civil War Institute at Gettysburg College is a non-profit organization created to promote the study of the Civil War Era. The Institute was founded in 1982 by historian and Gettysburg College professor Gabor Boritt, an Abraham Lincoln and American Civil War scholar...

at Gettysburg College
Gettysburg College
Gettysburg College is a private four-year liberal arts college founded in 1832, in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, United States, adjacent to the famous battlefield. Its athletic teams are nicknamed the Bullets. Gettysburg College has about 2,700 students, with roughly equal numbers of men and women...
Jim Bunning
Jim Bunning
James Paul David "Jim" Bunning is an American former Major League Baseball pitcher and politician.During a 17-year baseball career, he pitched from 1955 to 1971, most notably with the Detroit Tigers and the Philadelphia Phillies. When he retired, he had the second-highest total of career...

, United States Senator from Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
Julie Cellini
Julie Cellini
Julie Cellini is a free-lance journalist and works on special projects for her family-owned real estate company headquartered in Chicago.She is a trustee for the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency and the Secretary of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum Foundation...
James O. Horton, Joan L. Banneker Professor of American Studies and History at George Washington University
George Washington University
The George Washington University is a private, coeducational comprehensive university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States...

and Historian Emeritus of the National Museum of American History
National Museum of American History
The National Museum of American History: Kenneth E. Behring Center collects, preserves and displays the heritage of the United States in the areas of social, political, cultural, scientific and military history. Among the items on display are the original Star-Spangled Banner and Archie Bunker's...
Rep. Jesse L. Jackson Jr. (D - IL)
Lura Lynn Ryan
Lura Lynn Ryan
Lura Lynn Ryan was the First Lady of the U.S. state of Illinois from 1999 to 2003. She was the wife of former Illinois Governor George Ryan.-Early life:...

, former First Lady of Illinois
Louise Taper
Louise Taper
Louise Taper is a historian and collector of Abraham Lincoln artifacts.She created the exhibition The Last Best Hope of Earth: Abraham Lincoln and the Promise of America which was at the Huntington Library from 1993–1994 and at the Chicago Historical Society from 1996-1997. She also served as an...

, owner of the Taper Collection, the most significant private collection of Lincoln artifacts (acquired in 2007 by the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum
Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum
The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum documents the life of the 16th U.S. President, Abraham Lincoln, and the course of the American Civil War. Combining traditional scholarship with 21st century showmanship techniques, the popular museum continues to rank as one of the most visited...

)
Judge Tommy Turner, founded Lincoln Museum in Hodgenville, Kentucky
Hodgenville, Kentucky
Hodgenville is a city in and the county seat of LaRue County, Kentucky, United States. It sits along the North Fork of the Nolin River. The population was 2,874 at the 2000 census...
Frank J. Williams
Frank J. Williams
Frank J. Williams is a former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Rhode Island, a notable Abraham Lincoln scholar and author, and a Justice on the Military Commission Review Panel.-Biography:...

, former Chief Justice (Ret.) of the Rhode Island Supreme Court
Rhode Island Supreme Court
The Rhode Island Supreme Court, founded in 1747, is the court of last resort in the U.S. State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. The Court consists of a chief justice and four associate justices. The current Justices of the Rhode Island Supreme Court are:*Chief Justice Paul A...

and Lincoln scholar
Ray LaHood
Ray LaHood
Raymond H. "Ray" LaHood is a Republican politician from Illinois who is currently the United States Secretary of Transportation, having served since 2009. Previously, he represented the Illinois's 18th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives for seven terms .-Early life and...

, former U.S. congressman from Illinois's 18th congressional district served as ALBC Co-chair until January 2009 when he was subsequently appointed and assumed office as United States Secretary of Transportation
United States Secretary of Transportation
The United States Secretary of Transportation is the head of the United States Department of Transportation, a member of the President's Cabinet, and fourteenth in the Presidential line of succession. The post was created with the formation of the Department of Transportation on October 15, 1966,...

in President Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...

's administration.

Eileen R. Mackevich served as Executive Director from 2006-2010. Her predecessor was Michael Bishop.

ALBC offices are located in the John Adams Building

John Adams Building

The John Adams Building is one of three library buildings of the Library of Congress in the United States. The building was originally built simply as an annex to the Library's Main Building . It opened its doors to the public on January 3, 1939...

of the Library of Congress

Library of Congress

The Library of Congress is the research library of the United States Congress, de facto national library of the United States, and the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States. Located in three buildings in Washington, D.C., it is the largest library in the world by shelf space and...

in Washington, D.C.

Overview

Established by the United States Congress

United States Congress

The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....

, the ALBC aims to celebrate the life and legacy of Lincoln while reinvigorating his thoughts, ideals and spirit throughout America and around the world. The commission’s goals highlight numerous projects and cultural events including nine signature events:

The National Opening Ceremony - Louisville
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...

, Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...

and Hodgenville
Hodgenville, Kentucky
Hodgenville is a city in and the county seat of LaRue County, Kentucky, United States. It sits along the North Fork of the Nolin River. The population was 2,874 at the 2000 census...

, Kentucky.
The Mother's Day
Mother's Day
Mother's Day is a celebration honoring mothers and celebrating motherhood, maternal bonds, and the influence of mothers in society. It is celebrated on various days in many parts of the world, yet most commonly in March, April, or May...

Celebration - Lincoln City
Lincoln City, Indiana
Lincoln City is an unincorporated community in Carter Township, Spencer County in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Indiana. It lies five minutes south of Interstate 64, northeast of Evansville, and approximately twenty miles north of the Ohio River. It was laid out in 1872 on the site...

, Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...

.
Birthday Tribute and Wreath-Laying Ceremony in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
The Lincoln Memorial
Lincoln Memorial
The Lincoln Memorial is an American memorial built to honor the 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln. It is located on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. The architect was Henry Bacon, the sculptor of the main statue was Daniel Chester French, and the painter of the interior...

Rededication Series - Washington, D.C.
Bicameral Celebration of Abraham Lincoln’s Birthday: A Congressional Tribute - United States Capitol rotunda
United States Capitol Rotunda
The United States Capitol rotunda is the central rotunda of the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C.. Located below the Capitol dome, it is the tallest part of the Capitol and has been described as its "symbolic and physical heart."...

.
Exhibition - "With Malice Toward None: The Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Exhibit" - Washington, DC
National Teach-In - National Archives, Washington, DC.
Howard University
Howard University
Howard University is a federally chartered, non-profit, private, coeducational, nonsectarian, historically black university located in Washington, D.C., United States...

Conference: Emancipation and Race in the Age of Lincoln - April 16–18, 2009.
The Global Lincoln: A Conference Examining the Global Legacy of Abraham Lincoln - St. Catherine's College
St Catherine's College, Oxford
St Catherine's College, often called Catz, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Its motto is Nova et Vetera...

, University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...

- July 3–5, 2009.

Other ALBC tributes included:

New penny redesign
Cent (United States coin)
The United States one-cent coin, commonly known as a penny, is a unit of currency equaling one one-hundredth of a United States dollar. The cent's symbol is ¢. Its obverse has featured the profile of President Abraham Lincoln since 1909, the centennial of his birth. From 1959 to 2008, the reverse...

series featuring four new pennies.
A new five-dollar bill
United States five-dollar bill
The United States five-dollar bill or fiver is a denomination of United States currency. The $5 bill currently features U.S. President Abraham Lincoln's portrait on the front and the Lincoln Memorial on the back. All $5 bills issued today are Federal Reserve Notes...

.
2009 Bicentennial commemorative dollar coin.
Four United States Postal Service
United States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service is an independent agency of the United States government responsible for providing postal service in the United States...

commemorative Lincoln stamps
Postage stamp
A postage stamp is a small piece of paper that is purchased and displayed on an item of mail as evidence of payment of postage. Typically, stamps are made from special paper, with a national designation and denomination on the face, and a gum adhesive on the reverse side...

.
Ten town hall meeting
Town hall meeting
A town hall meeting is an American English term given to an informal public meeting. Everybody in a town community is invited to attend, not always to voice their opinions, but to hear the responses from public figures and elected officials about shared subjects of interest. Attendees rarely voted...

s around the United States.
A Dedication Day Ceremony in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
Gettysburg is a borough that is the county seat, part of the Gettysburg Battlefield, and the eponym for the 1863 Battle of Gettysburg. The town hosts visitors to the Gettysburg National Military Park and has 3 institutions of higher learning: Lutheran Theological Seminary, Gettysburg College, and...

, site of the Battle of Gettysburg
Battle of Gettysburg
The Battle of Gettysburg , was fought July 1–3, 1863, in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The battle with the largest number of casualties in the American Civil War, it is often described as the war's turning point. Union Maj. Gen. George Gordon Meade's Army of the Potomac...

and Lincoln's Gettysburg Address
Gettysburg Address
The Gettysburg Address is a speech by U.S. President Abraham Lincoln and is one of the most well-known speeches in United States history. It was delivered by Lincoln during the American Civil War, on the afternoon of Thursday, November 19, 1863, at the dedication of the Soldiers' National Cemetery...
"Rise Up and Hear: An Evening of Poetry Honoring Abraham Lincoln's Legacy" - Washington, D.C, September 22, 2008.

Additional Lincoln Bicentennial events included:

A week-long Lincoln Bicentennial Bike Tour, Tour de Lincoln, from August 16–23, 2008 which begins at Lincoln's birthplace in Hodgenville, Kentucky
Hodgenville, Kentucky
Hodgenville is a city in and the county seat of LaRue County, Kentucky, United States. It sits along the North Fork of the Nolin River. The population was 2,874 at the 2000 census...

and concludes in Springfield, Illinois
Springfield, Illinois
Springfield is the third and current capital of the US state of Illinois and the county seat of Sangamon County with a population of 117,400 , making it the sixth most populated city in the state and the second most populated Illinois city outside of the Chicago Metropolitan Area...

.
An international symposium in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...

, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...

.
Forever Free: Abraham Lincoln's Journey to Emancipation Traveling Exhibit.

State liaisons

Governor-appointed liaisons from each state made up the ALBC's Governor Council. These liaisons served as contact points between the national ALBC and their state, and coordinate their own Bicentennial programs and events.

In addition to each liaison, 24 states established Lincoln Bicentennial Commissions:

Alabama Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial
Arizona Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial
Connecticut Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial
Delaware Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial
Idaho Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial
Illinois Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial
Indiana Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial
Iowa Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial
Kentucky Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial
Louisiana Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial
Massachusetts Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission
Michigan Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial
Missouri Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial
New Hampshire Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial
New Jersey Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission
New York Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial (Lincoln Commemorative Marker Program)
North Dakota Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial
Ohio Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial and Lincoln Legacy - Cincinnati
Oregon Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial
Pennsylvania Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial
Rhode Island Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial
Vermont Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial
West Virginia Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial
Wyoming Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial

Outreach

The ALBC collaborated with numerous scholars and public figures as well as cultural and educational institutions to help educate and engage the public. An advisory board included more than 150 historians, scholars, civic leaders and Lincoln enthusiasts. Among them were Michael Beschloss

Michael Beschloss

Michael Richard Beschloss is an American historian. A specialist in the United States presidency, he is the author of nine books.- Early life :...

, David Blight, Ken Burns

Ken Burns

Kenneth Lauren "Ken" Burns is an American director and producer of documentary films, known for his style of using archival footage and photographs...

, Richard Carwardine

Richard Carwardine

Professor Richard Carwardine MA DPhil FRHistS FLSW FBA is president of Corpus Christi College, Oxford and was formerly Rhodes Professor of American History at St Catherine's College, Oxford. Before this he was Professor of American History at the University of Sheffield. He specialises in the early...

, David Herbert Donald

David Herbert Donald

- Career :Majoring in history and sociology, Donald earned his bachelor degree from Millsaps College in Jackson, Mississippi. He earned his PhD in 1946 under the eminent, leading Lincoln scholar, James G. Randall at the University of Illinois...

, John Hope Franklin

John Hope Franklin

John Hope Franklin was a United States historian and past president of Phi Beta Kappa, the Organization of American Historians, the American Historical Association, and the Southern Historical Association. Franklin is best known for his work From Slavery to Freedom, first published in 1947, and...

, Doris Kearns Goodwin

Doris Kearns Goodwin

Doris Kearns Goodwin is a Pulitzer Prize-winning American biographer and historian, and an oft-seen political commentator. She is the author of biographies of several U.S...

, Dr. Allen C. Guelzo

Allen C. Guelzo

Allen Carl Guelzo is the Henry R. Luce III Professor of the Civil War Era at Gettysburg College, where he serves as Director of the Civil War Era Studies Program.Guelzo was born in Yokohama, Japan...

, James M. McPherson

James M. McPherson

James M. McPherson is an American Civil War historian, and is the George Henry Davis '86 Professor Emeritus of United States History at Princeton University. He received the 1989 Pulitzer Prize for Battle Cry of Freedom, his most famous book...

, Douglas Wilson

Douglas L. Wilson

Douglas L. Wilson is a professor and co-director of Lincoln Studies Center at Knox College.Wilson is the George A. Lawrence Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus of English at Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois. He co-directs the along with his colleague Rodney O...

, Orville Vernon Burton

Orville Vernon Burton

Orville Vernon Burton is a professor of history at Clemson University and Director of the Clemson CyberInstitute. He was formerly Director of the Institute for Computing in Humanities, Arts, and Social Science and professor of History and Sociology at the University of Illinois He is also a...

, Mario M. Cuomo, Dr. Roger Wilkins

Roger Wilkins

Roger Wilkins is an African American civil rights leader, professor of history, and journalist.-Biography:Wilkins was born in Kansas City, Missouri, and grew up in Michigan...

, Jack Kemp

Jack Kemp

Jack French Kemp was an American politician and a collegiate and professional football player. A Republican, he served as Housing Secretary in the administration of President George H. W. Bush from 1989 to 1993, having previously served nine terms as a congressman for Western New York's 31st...

, and Sam Waterston

Sam Waterston

Samuel Atkinson "Sam" Waterston is an American actor and occasional producer and director. Among other roles, he is noted for his Academy Award-nominated portrayal of Sydney Schanberg in 1984's The Killing Fields, and his Golden Globe- and Screen Actors Guild Award-winning portrayal of Jack McCoy...

.

In conjunction with the Library of Congress

Library of Congress

, the ALBC created an interactive exhibit titled "With Malice Toward None." The 2009-2010 traveling exhibit highlighted Lincoln’s life and featured original speeches, letters, photos and artifacts.

Various organizations supported Lincoln’s Bicentennial, including the New-York Historical Society

New-York Historical Society

The New-York Historical Society is an American history museum and library located in New York City at the corner of 77th Street and Central Park West in Manhattan. Founded in 1804 as New York's first museum, the New-York Historical Society presents exhibitions, public programs and research that...

; Huntington Library in San Marino, California

San Marino, California

San Marino is a small, affluent city in Los Angeles County, California. Incorporated in 1913, the City founders designed the community to be uniquely residential, with expansive properties surrounded by beautiful gardens, wide streets, and well maintained parkways...

; National Archives

National Archives and Records Administration

The National Archives and Records Administration is an independent agency of the United States government charged with preserving and documenting government and historical records and with increasing public access to those documents, which comprise the National Archives...

; Chicago Museum of History; Newberry Library

Newberry Library

The Newberry Library is a privately endowed, independent research library for the humanities and social sciences in Chicago, Illinois. Although it is private, non-circulating library, the Newberry Library is free and open to the public...

in Chicago

Chicago

Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...

; Organization of American Historians

Organization of American Historians

The Organization of American Historians , formerly known as the Mississippi Valley Historical Association, is the largest professional society dedicated to the teaching and study of American history. OAH's members in the U.S...

; Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum

Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum

The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum documents the life of the 16th U.S. President, Abraham Lincoln, and the course of the American Civil War. Combining traditional scholarship with 21st century showmanship techniques, the popular museum continues to rank as one of the most visited...

in Springfield, Illinois

Springfield, Illinois

Springfield is the third and current capital of the US state of Illinois and the county seat of Sangamon County with a population of 117,400 , making it the sixth most populated city in the state and the second most populated Illinois city outside of the Chicago Metropolitan Area...

; Lincoln Museum in Fort Wayne, Indiana

Fort Wayne, Indiana

Fort Wayne is a city in the US state of Indiana and the county seat of Allen County. The population was 253,691 at the 2010 Census making it the 74th largest city in the United States and the second largest in Indiana...

; Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History

Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History

The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, founded in New York by Richard Gilder and Lewis E. Lehrman in 1994, was set up to promote the study and love of American history.The Institute serves teachers, students, scholars, and the general public...

; Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States

Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States

The Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States, also known by its acronym MOLLUS or simply as the Loyal Legion, is a United States patriotic order, organized April 15, 1865, by officers of the Army, Navy, or Marine Corps of the United States who "had aided in maintaining the honor,...

(MOLLUS); Fetzer Institute

Fetzer Institute

-The Institute:The Fetzer Institute is a mid size operating foundation based in Michigan, United States, founded by John E Fetzer.Since its founding, the Fetzer Institute has been interested in individual and community health and wholeness, from our early days of mind-body health research to its...

in Kalamazoo, Michigan

Michigan

Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....

; National Park Service

National Park Service

The National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...

; and C-SPAN

C-SPAN

C-SPAN , an acronym for Cable-Satellite Public Affairs Network, is an American cable television network that offers coverage of federal government proceedings and other public affairs programming via its three television channels , one radio station and a group of websites that provide streaming...

Kentucky Inaugural Celebration

On February 11–12, 2008, the ALBC launched its two-year celebration of Lincoln's 200th birthday. The two day event began in Louisville at the historic Henry Clay

Henry Clay

Henry Clay, Sr. , was a lawyer, politician and skilled orator who represented Kentucky separately in both the Senate and in the House of Representatives...

Hotel. Pulitzer Prize

Pulitzer Prize

The Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...

winning author Doris Kearns Goodwin

Doris Kearns Goodwin

Doris Kearns Goodwin is a Pulitzer Prize-winning American biographer and historian, and an oft-seen political commentator. She is the author of biographies of several U.S...

, McConnell Center

McConnell Center

The McConnell Center is an endowed institution created in 1991 by U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell, and the University of Louisville.The McConnell Center's mission includes four major components:* The McConnell Scholars Program*Public Lecture Series...

senior fellow Dr. Thomas Mackey and African-American historian Dr. Gerald L. Smith addressed the crowd during the Lincoln on Leadership Symposium.

That evening, the Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts hosted A Kentucky Salute to Abraham Lincoln. Popular radio journalist and Louisville native, Bob Edwards

Bob Edwards

Robert Alan Edwards is a Peabody Award-winning member of the National Radio Hall of Fame. He was the first broadcaster with a large national following to join the field of satellite radio...

served as master of ceremonies. Performances included the Louisville Orchestra

Louisville Orchestra

The Louisville Orchestra is the primary orchestra in Louisville, Kentucky and has been called the cornerstone of the Louisville arts scene. It was founded in 1937 by Robert Whitney and Charles Farnsley, Mayor of Louisville...

and opera

Opera

Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...

soprano

Soprano

A soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody...

Angela Brown

Angela M. Brown is an African-American dramatic soprano particularly admired for her portrayal of Verdi heroines.-Early life and education:...

. Film producer Jerry Bruckheimer

Jerry Bruckheimer

Jerome Leon "Jerry" Bruckheimer is an American film and television producer. He has achieved great success in the genres of action, drama, and science fiction. His best known television series are CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, CSI: Miami, CSI: NY, Eleventh Hour, Without a Trace, Cold Case, The...

and his wife Linda Bruckheimer, a Kentucky native, welcomed the audience. American composer Peter Schickele

Peter Schickele

Johann Peter Schickele is an American composer, musical educator, and parodist. He is best known for his comedy music albums featuring his music that he presents as music written by the fictional composer P. D. Q...

premiered his new piece, Lincoln at Ease.

Capping the evening was award-winning actor Sam Waterston and Lincoln scholar Harold Holzer with their critically acclaimed production Lincoln Seen and Heard, a narrated and dramatic presentation of Lincoln’s life.

A snow storm hit that evening and the next morning, on Lincoln's 199th birthday, icy roads forced the cancellation of the formal inaugural ceremony at the Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historic Site in Hodgenville, KY.

First Lady

First Lady

First Lady or First Gentlemanis the unofficial title used in some countries for the spouse of an elected head of state.It is not normally used to refer to the spouse or partner of a prime minister; the husband or wife of the British Prime Minister is usually informally referred to as prime...

Laura Bush

Laura Lane Welch Bush is the wife of the 43rd President of the United States, George W. Bush. She was the First Lady of the United States from January 20, 2001, to January 20, 2009. She has held a love of books and reading since childhood and her life and education have reflected that interest...

was scheduled to deliver the keynote address. Other speakers included United States Secretary of the Interior

United States Secretary of the Interior

The United States Secretary of the Interior is the head of the United States Department of the Interior.The US Department of the Interior should not be confused with the concept of Ministries of the Interior as used in other countries...

Dirk Kempthorne

Dirk Arthur Kempthorne , was the U.S. Secretary of the Interior, who served under President George W. Bush from 2006 to 2009. A Republican, Kempthorne previously served as the 30th Governor and as a U.S. Senator from Idaho...

, ALBC Commissioners Tommy Turner and Harold Holzer, U.S. Congressman Ron Lewis

Ron Lewis

Ronald E. "Ron" Lewis , an American politician who was a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from 1994–2009, representing the 2nd Congressional District of Kentucky....

(R-KY) and Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear

Steve Beshear

Steven Lynn "Steve" Beshear is an American politician who is the 61st Governor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky. A Democrat, Beshear previously served in the Kentucky House of Representatives from 1974 to 1979, was the state's Attorney General from 1980 to 1983, and was Lieutenant Governor from...

. Award winning actor Sam Waterston was set to narrate the Gettysburg Address. Period music by the famed brass band Saxton's Cornet Band and the American Spiritual Ensemble was also planned.

Lincoln Mother’s Day Celebration

On May 11, 2008, the ALBC celebrated its second national signature event in Lincoln City

Lincoln City, Indiana

Lincoln City is an unincorporated community in Carter Township, Spencer County in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Indiana. It lies five minutes south of Interstate 64, northeast of Evansville, and approximately twenty miles north of the Ohio River. It was laid out in 1872 on the site...

, Indiana

Indiana

Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...

. Paying tribute to the women in Lincoln’s life, the Lincoln Mother’s Day Celebration also served as the statewide Lincoln Bicentennial kick-off for the Indiana ALBC. However, blustering wind and rainy conditions nearly cancelled the tribute. Scheduled for the Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial

Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial

Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial is a United States Presidential Memorial, a National Historic Landmark District in present-day Lincoln City, Indiana. It preserves the farm site where Abraham Lincoln lived with his family from 1816 to 1830. During that time, he grew from a 7-year-old boy to a...

, the commemoration survived after National Park Service

National Park Service

The National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...

relocated the event to the Lincoln State Park

Lincoln State Park

Lincoln State Park is an Indiana state park. It is east of Evansville, IN.Lincoln State Park is located in southern Indiana in Spencer County approximately east of Evansville. The park was established in 1932 and encompasses . There are of trails in the park...

.

ALBC Commissioners Joan Flinspach and Dr. Darrel Bigham addressed the audience along with Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels

Mitch Daniels

Mitchell Elias "Mitch" Daniels, Jr. is the 49th and current Governor of the U.S. state of Indiana. A Republican, he began his first four-year term as governor on January 10, 2005, and was elected to his second term by an 18-point margin on November 4, 2008. Previously, he was the Director of the...

and Congressman Baron Hill

Baron Hill

Baron Paul Hill is the former U.S. Representative for , serving from 1999 to 2005 and from 2007 to 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party....

Rise Up and Hear: An Evening of Poetry Honoring Abraham Lincoln's Legacy

In collaboration with the National Endowment for the Arts

National Endowment for the Arts

The National Endowment for the Arts is an independent agency of the United States federal government that offers support and funding for projects exhibiting artistic excellence. It was created by an act of the U.S. Congress in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal government. Its current...

and the Poetry Foundation

Poetry Foundation

The Poetry Foundation is a Chicago-based American foundation created to promote poetry in the wider culture. It was formed from Poetry magazine, which it continues to publish, with a 2003 gift of $200 million from philanthropist Ruth Lilly....

, the ALBC showcased an evening of poetry and music enjoyed by Lincoln as well as works inspired by his leadership. Featuring a variety of well-known poets and actors, the program included readings of contemporary and classic poems.

Special guests included actors Joan Allen

Joan Allen

Joan Allen is an American actress. She worked in theatre, television and film during her early career, and achieved recognition for her Broadway debut in Burn This, winning a Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play in 1989.She has received three Academy Award nominations;...

and Sam Waterston

Sam Waterston

. Dana Gioia, poet and Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts led the evening festivities. Other attendees included former Secretary of Interior Dirk Kempthorne

Dirk Kempthorne

; ALBC Co-Chair Harold Holzer

Harold Holzer

Harold Holzer is a scholar of Abraham Lincoln and the political culture of the American Civil War Era. He served for nine years as co-chairman of the United States Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission , appointed to the commission by President Bill Clinton in 2000 and elected co-chair by his...

; Poet and President of the Poetry Foundation John Barr

John Barr

John Barr was an Ontario-based Canadian physician and political figure. He represented Dufferin in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1875 to 1879, from 1890 to 1894 and from 1898 to 1904 and in the Canadian House of Commons from 1904 to 1909 as a Conservative member...

; Former U.S. Poet Laureate Robert Pinsky; and 2008 Poetry Out Loud National Champion Shawntay Henry. The band Dead Man's Hollow performed Lincoln-era music.

The September 22, 2008 event took place at the Sidney Yates Auditorium in the United States Department of Interior.

National Teach-In

]

The Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission, in partnership with the History Channel, featured a National Teach-In on the life and legacy of Abraham Lincoln broadcast live from the National Archives in Washington, D.C.

The special live event featured Lincoln scholars, Doris Kearns Goodwin

Doris Kearns Goodwin

Doris Kearns Goodwin is a Pulitzer Prize-winning American biographer and historian, and an oft-seen political commentator. She is the author of biographies of several U.S...

, Matthew Pinsker and Harold Holzer

Harold Holzer

, sharing their expertise and answering students’ questions.

Over 5,000 schools from the US and countless more from nine different countries participated. The webcast sparked hundreds of people to submit questions. A sampling of those questions along with a preview and photos from the National Teach-in can be found here.

Lincoln Memorial Rededication Series

A three-part event, the Lincoln Memorial Rededication Series featured appearances by some of America’s most notable figures, including Members of Congress, Michael Feinstein, Colin Powell and the U.S. Marine Corps Band.

February 12, 2009

Birthday Tribute and Wreath-Laying Ceremony - 8:00 AM:

Four-time Grammy-nominated singer Michael Feinstein sang the National Anthem, accompanied by the U.S. Marine Corps Band. Acclaimed poet and author Nikki Giovanni recited her new work, "At this Moment", written especially for the Bicentennial. And ALBC Co-Chairs Senator Dick Durbin and Harold Holzer addressed the crowd.

Other attendees and speakers included Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood, Secretary of Interior Ken Salazar; MOLLUS 57th Commander-in-Chief Karl Schaeffer and Gordon R. Bury, 54th MOLLUS Commander-in-Chief; and retired Rhode Island Supreme Court Chief Justice – and ALBC Commissioner – Frank J. Williams who read the Gettysburg Address with school children from Strong John Thomson Elementary School in Washington, DC.

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces Judge Scott Stucky was Master of Ceremonies.

Wreaths were presented on behalf of the people of the United States, the diplomatic corps, and various hereditary organizations, including the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States

Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States

in a stirring ceremony.

Photos from that morning and a video of Michael Feinstein's performance can be found at the Lincoln Bicentennial's website.

Bicameral Celebration of Abraham Lincoln’s Birthday: A Congressional Tribute - 11:30 AM:

President Barack Obama

Barack Obama

Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...

paid tribute to the former legislator from Illinois in the United States Capitol rotunda

United States Capitol Rotunda

The United States Capitol rotunda is the central rotunda of the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C.. Located below the Capitol dome, it is the tallest part of the Capitol and has been described as its "symbolic and physical heart."...

and US Army Chorus resoundingly performed "Battle Hymn of the Republic" as House and Senate leaders convened to commemorate Lincoln's 200th birthday.

Senators Dick Durbin, Jim Bunning, Mitch McConnell

Mitch McConnell

Addison Mitchell "Mitch" McConnell, Jr. is the senior United States Senator from Kentucky and the Republican Minority Leader.- Early life, education, and military service :...

and Harry Reid

Harry Reid

Harry Mason Reid is the senior United States Senator from Nevada, serving since 1987. A member of the Democratic Party, he has been the Senate Majority Leader since January 2007, having previously served as Minority Leader and Minority and Majority Whip.Previously, Reid was a member of the U.S...

addressed the assembly and Illinois Congressmen Jesse Jackson, Jr and Donald Manzullo recited the Gettysburg Address

Gettysburg Address

The Gettysburg Address is a speech by U.S. President Abraham Lincoln and is one of the most well-known speeches in United States history. It was delivered by Lincoln during the American Civil War, on the afternoon of Thursday, November 19, 1863, at the dedication of the Soldiers' National Cemetery...

. Other speakers included Rep. John Boehner

John Boehner

John Andrew Boehner is the 61st and current Speaker of the United States House of Representatives. A member of the Republican Party, he is the U.S. Representative from , serving since 1991...

; House Speaker Nancy Pelosi

Nancy Pelosi

Nancy Patricia D'Alesandro Pelosi is the Minority Leader of the United States House of Representatives and served as the 60th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 2007 to 2011...

; ALBC Co-Chair Harold Holzer; Dr. Richard Norton Smith

Richard Norton Smith

Richard Norton Smith is an American historian and author specializing in US presidents.-Life:Born in Leominster, Massachusetts, in 1953, Smith graduated magna cum laude from Harvard University in 1975 with a degree in government...

, former executive director of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library; and Doris Kearns Goodwin

Doris Kearns Goodwin

Doris Kearns Goodwin is a Pulitzer Prize-winning American biographer and historian, and an oft-seen political commentator. She is the author of biographies of several U.S...

, author and presidential historian.

Goodwin spoke about Lincoln’s presidential leadership, and Dr. Smith addressed Lincoln’s early years as a state legislator and Member of Congress. C-SPAN provided full coverage of the Bicameral Tribute.

Below is the list of speakers (in order) with some of their remarks:

President Barack Obama
Sen. Richard Durbin
Sen. Jim Bunning
Harold Holzer
Congressmen Jesse Jackson and Donald Manzullo, both recited portions of Gettysburg Address, respectively.
Richard Norton Smith
Doris Kearns Goodwin
Rep. John Boehner
Sen. Mitch McConnell
Sen. Harry Reid
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi

April 12, 2009

The second part of the Lincoln Memorial Rededication Series, the ALBC and NPS

NPS

- Organizations :* National Pension Service, the world's fourth-biggest pension fund, which manages $270 billion in assets in Korea* National Park Service, the U.S...

combined efforts to produce the Marian Anderson Tribute and Naturalization Ceremony.

On Easter

Easter

Easter is the central feast in the Christian liturgical year. According to the Canonical gospels, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion. His resurrection is celebrated on Easter Day or Easter Sunday...

Sunday 1939, contralto Marian Anderson

Marian Anderson

Marian Anderson was an African-American contralto and one of the most celebrated singers of the twentieth century...

famously performed on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial after the Daughters of the American Revolution

Daughters of the American Revolution

The Daughters of the American Revolution is a lineage-based membership organization for women who are descended from a person involved in United States' independence....

barred her from singing at Constitution Hall due to the color of her skin.

Marian Anderson, who was born in 1897, was described as having “a voice heard once in a hundred years.” Yet in 1939, she was denied the right to perform in Washington, DC’s Constitution Hall due to the color of her skin. Through the efforts of Anderson, the NAACP, First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt

Eleanor Roosevelt

Anna Eleanor Roosevelt was the First Lady of the United States from 1933 to 1945. She supported the New Deal policies of her husband, distant cousin Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and became an advocate for civil rights. After her husband's death in 1945, Roosevelt continued to be an international...

, and Interior Secretary Harold Ickes

Harold L. Ickes

Harold LeClair Ickes was a United States administrator and politician. He served as United States Secretary of the Interior for 13 years, from 1933 to 1946, the longest tenure of anyone to hold the office, and the second longest serving Cabinet member in U.S. history next to James Wilson. Ickes...

, arrangements were made to hold the concert on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.

On April 12, 2009, seventy years after Anderson set the stage for the modern civil rights

Civil rights

Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from unwarranted infringement by governments and private organizations, and ensure one's ability to participate in the civil and political life of the state without discrimination or repression.Civil rights include...

era, acclaimed mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves

Denyce Graves

Denyce Graves is an American mezzo-soprano opera singer.-Early life:Graves was born on March 7, 1964, to Charles Graves and Dorothy Graves-Kenner. She is the middle of three children and was raised by her mother on Galveston Street, S.W., in the Bellevue section of Washington...

performed at the Lincoln Memorial in a joyous Easter Sunday Concert paying tribute to Marian Anderson's performance.

Graves was joined by the internationally renowned a capella ensemble Sweet Honey in the Rock

Sweet Honey in the Rock

Sweet Honey in the Rock is an all-woman, African-American a cappella ensemble. They are an American Grammy Award-winning troupe who express their history as women of color through song, while entertaining their audience. They have together worked from four women to the difficult five-part harmony...

and the world famous Chicago Children's Choir

Chicago children's choir

The Chicago Children's Choir is a choir founded in 1956. It was founded in the neighborhood of Hyde Park in Chicago by the late Rev. Christopher Moore. The choir is located at the Cultural Center at 78 E. Washington Street...

. Founded in 1956 at the First Unitarian Church in Chicago, by the late Rev. Christopher Moore.

Sponsored by the McCormick Foundation and others, the tribute also featured a naturalization ceremony of 191 new American citizens representing 56 countries. Gen. Colin Powell

Colin Powell

Colin Luther Powell is an American statesman and a retired four-star general in the United States Army. He was the 65th United States Secretary of State, serving under President George W. Bush from 2001 to 2005. He was the first African American to serve in that position. During his military...

, the son of two Jamaican immigrants, delivered the keynote address.

The picturesque day concluded with the U.S. Marine Band performing John Philip Sousa

John Philip Sousa

John Philip Sousa was an American composer and conductor of the late Romantic era, known particularly for American military and patriotic marches. Because of his mastery of march composition, he is known as "The March King" or the "American March King" due to his British counterpart Kenneth J....

's "The Stars and Stripes Forever."

May 30, 2009

On May 30, 1922 President Warren G. Harding commemorated the life of President Lincoln with the dedication of the Lincoln Memorial. Exactly four score and seven years later the ALBC, National Park Service, Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States and the Military District of Washington, presented a Rededication Retrospective.

The program, at the Lincoln Memorial, featured special guest speakers that delivered remarks about how Abraham Lincoln and the Lincoln Memorial remained entwined as beacons of freedom. The program also featured performances by the United States Marine Band and by William Farley, winner of Poetry Out Loud

Poetry Out Loud

The Poetry Out Loud: Recitation Contest was created in 2006 by the National Endowment for the Arts and The Poetry Foundation. The contest was created to increase awareness in the art of performing poetry, with substantial cash prizes being awarded to schools that participated as well as...

, who read Poet and well-known Abraham Lincoln biographer Carl Sandburg

Carl Sandburg

Carl Sandburg was an American writer and editor, best known for his poetry. He won three Pulitzer Prizes, two for his poetry and another for a biography of Abraham Lincoln. H. L. Mencken called Carl Sandburg "indubitably an American in every pulse-beat."-Biography:Sandburg was born in Galesburg,...

's The People, Yes.

Speakers and performers included:

Gordon R. Bury, 100th Commander-in-Chief of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War
Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War
Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War is an American fraternal organization, the legal successor to the Grand Army of the Republic . Founded in late 1881, it was originally one of several competing organizations of descendants of Union veterans...
William Farley, 2009 Poetry Out Loud National Champion
Reverend Dr. Roger J. Gench, Senior pastor at New York Avenue Presbyterian Church
New York Avenue Presbyterian Church
The New York Avenue Presbyterian Church in Washington, D.C., is a congregation of the Presbyterian Church . The church was formed in 1859-60, but traces its roots to 1803 as the F Street Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church and another congregation founded in 1820 on its current site, the Second...

in Washington, D.C.
Harold Holzer, ALBC Commissioner
Peggy O'Dell, Regional Director for the National Capitol
Dr. Benjamin Franklin Payton, President of Tuskegee University
Tuskegee University
Tuskegee University is a private, historically black university located in Tuskegee, Alabama, United States. It is a member school of the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund...
Ernest "Ernie" Quintana, Acting Deputy Director of the National Park Service
National Park Service
The National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...
Secretary Ken Salazar, Department of the Interior
United States Marine Band
United States Marine Band
The United States Marine Band is the premier band of the United States Marine Corps. Established by act of Congress on July 11, 1798, it is the oldest of the United States military bands and the oldest professional musical organization in the United States...

National Town Hall Meetings

On July 22, 2008 over 30 leaders from the fields of government, non-profit, civics, journalism, arts, humanities and education, met with the ALBC to discuss a series of National Town Halls.

Hosted by the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars

Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars

The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars , located in Washington, D.C., is a United States Presidential Memorial that was established as part of the Smithsonian Institution by an act of Congress in 1968...

in Washington, D.C., meeting attendants included U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-IL), chairman of the ALBC’s town hall initiative; current Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood

Ray LaHood

Raymond H. "Ray" LaHood is a Republican politician from Illinois who is currently the United States Secretary of Transportation, having served since 2009. Previously, he represented the Illinois's 18th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives for seven terms .-Early life and...

, then ALBC co-chair; former HUD

United States Department of Housing and Urban Development

The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, also known as HUD, is a Cabinet department in the Executive branch of the United States federal government...

Secretary Jack Kemp

Jack Kemp

; William H. Gray III, former congressman and president of the United Negro College Fund

United Negro College Fund

The United Negro College Fund is an American philanthropic organization that fundraises college tuition money for black students and general scholarship funds for 39 private historically black colleges and universities. The UNCF was incorporated on April 25, 1944 by Frederick D. Patterson , Mary...

; and Jim O’Shea, former managing editor of the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....

. University of Chicago

University of Chicago

The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...

historians Charles Branham and Adam Green moderated the discussion.

The result: Ten cities (and later an 11th) chosen to lead discussions on Race, Freedom and Equality of Opportunity and focus on connecting Lincoln to the present day. To date, Gettysburg; Washington, DC; Detroit; Chicago; and the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) in Everett, WA have featured Town Halls. Discussion topics have included political representation, liberty and justice, immigration, voting rights, interracial roots, leadership and the military, and reconstruction.

The ALBC national Town Halls are a joint collaboration with the Fetzer Institute

Fetzer Institute

of Kalamazoo, Michigan

Michigan

and a multiplicity of co-conveners.

Visit the ALBC for more details and information on the National Town Hall Series.

Gettysburg, PA

Gettysburg College hosted the first national Town Hall on November 20, 2008. Panelists included Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr.

Jesse Jackson, Jr.

Jesse Louis Jackson, Jr. is the U.S. Representative for , serving since the special election in 1995. He is a member of the Democratic Party....

, Secretary Jack Kemp

Jack Kemp

, Dr. Allen Guelzo, Susan Eisenhower

Susan Eisenhower

Susan Elaine Eisenhower is a consultant, author, and expert on international security and relations between the Russian Federation and the United States of America. She is the daughter of John Eisenhower, and the granddaughter of President Dwight Eisenhower...

and Executive Director of the Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...

Governor's Advisory Commission on Latino Affairs Norman Bristol Colon. Charles R. Branham, senior historian at the DuSable Museum of African American History in Chicago

Chicago

moderated the discussion.

Over 300 people filled Union Ballroom as the panelists highlighted President Lincoln's role and impact during the American Civil War

American Civil War

The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...

. Topics of discussion included race relations, equality of opportunity, the 2008 presidential election

United States presidential election, 2008

The United States presidential election of 2008 was the 56th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on November 4, 2008. Democrat Barack Obama, then the junior United States Senator from Illinois, defeated Republican John McCain, the senior U.S. Senator from Arizona. Obama received 365...

and cultural progression in America.

USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) - Everett, WA

Focusing on "Lincoln, Leadership, and the Military," the February 27, 2009 meeting on board the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, USS Abraham Lincoln

USS Abraham Lincoln

Various ships have borne the name Abraham Lincoln, in honor of the 16th President of the United States.-United States Navy:* The , was a ballistic missile submarine.* The , is an aircraft carrier currently in service.-Fictional:...

was the second of 11 town halls.

The program, produced in cooperation with the aircraft carrier’s commanders and the Stennis Center for Public Service Leadership, included:

Matthew Pinsker, history professor at Dickinson College and author of Lincoln's Sanctuary: Abraham Lincoln and the Soldier's Home.
Robin Read, president of the National Foundation for Women's Legislators
Joseph P. Reidy, Howard University history professor renowned for his scholarly work on African American sailors in the Civil War Navy
Donald Scott, retired U.S. Army general, expert on military leadership.

In addition to the give-and-take of the town hall, the Lincoln’s crew heard the world-premiere of “Letters From Lincoln,” a newly commissioned jazz work by Anthony Davis

Anthony Davis (composer)

Anthony Davis, better known as Tony Davis , is an American composer, jazz pianist, and student of gamelan music.-Biography:...

, composer of operas X, The Life and Times of Malcolm X; Under the Double Moon; and Amistad.

A congressional delegation, led by U.S. Reps. Norm Dicks (D-Wash.) and Rick Larsen

Rick Larsen

Richard Ray "Rick" Larsen is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2001. He is a member of the Democratic Party.-Early life, education and career:...

(D-Wash.), also visited the carrier and participated in the town hall meeting.

Adam Green, associate professor of history at the University of Chicago

University of Chicago

whose work has focused on African American and U.S. history and comparative racial politics, moderated.

Washington, D.C.

Hosted by the Historical Society of Washington, DC, the ALBC's third national Town Hall focused on Race, Freedom, & Equality of Opportunity: The Right to Vote.

The distinguished panel explored the history of voting and voting rights in the U.S.; the struggle for voting rights waged by various groups of Americans; the cultural importance of casting a ballot as civic participation and empowerment; and how the District’s voting limbo is part of that history.

Panelists included:

Wade Henderson, Leadership Conference on Civil Rights
Donita Judge, Attorney, Advancement Project
Alexander Keyssar, Social Policy Professor, Harvard and author, "The Right to Vote"
Jonathan Turley
Jonathan Turley
Jonathan Turley is an American lawyer, legal scholar, writer, commentator, and legal analyst in broadcast and print journalism...

, Renowned Constitutional Law Scholar, George Washington University
George Washington University
The George Washington University is a private, coeducational comprehensive university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States...

Law School
Kenneth Thomas, Legislative Attorney, Congressional Research Service
Congressional Research Service
The Congressional Research Service , known as "Congress's think tank", is the public policy research arm of the United States Congress. As a legislative branch agency within the Library of Congress, CRS works exclusively and directly for Members of Congress, their Committees and staff on a...
Armstrong Williams, Syndicated Radio Host and Columnist
Ron Walters, Leadership & Politics Expert, University of Maryland, College Park
University of Maryland, College Park
The University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C...

, and author, "Freedom Is Not Enough"

Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr.

Jesse Jackson, Jr.

Jesse Louis Jackson, Jr. is the U.S. Representative for , serving since the special election in 1995. He is a member of the Democratic Party....

and Howard University

Howard University

Howard University is a federally chartered, non-profit, private, coeducational, nonsectarian, historically black university located in Washington, D.C., United States...

History professor, Dr. Edna Greene Medford delivered stirring and exceptional remarks.

The March 19, 2009 town hall also featured live musical performances from DC artists Rasi Caprice, Joe L Da Vessel and Melodic, and Chinwe Enu.

Askia Mohammad, news director of WPFW-FM Radio 89.3 and National Newspapers Publishers Association

National Newspapers Publishers Association

The National Newspaper Publishers Association , was founded in 1940 when John H. Sengstacke of the Chicago Defender organized a meeting with other African American publishers designed for "harmonizing our energies in a common purpose for the benefit of Negro journalism." The group decided to form...

(NNPA) Syndicated Columnist, moderated the discussion.

Detroit, MI

In the fourth National Town Hall, the ALBC partnered with The Henry Ford Museum. The April 20, 2009 town hall discussed issues pertaining to Race, Freedom & Equality of Opportunity.

Participants included:

Douglas Brinkley, American author and distinguished Professor of History, Rice University
Rice University
William Marsh Rice University, commonly referred to as Rice University or Rice, is a private research university located on a heavily wooded campus in Houston, Texas, United States...
Darlene Clark Hine, Professor of African American Studies and History, Northwestern University
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
Dr. Arthur L. Johnson, educator, community leader and former Executive Secretary of NAACP-Detroit Branch
Dr. John Stauffer
John Stauffer
John Stauffer is a former Republican member of the Pennsylvania Senate and House.-References:...

, Professor of English and African American Studies, Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...

and author, Giants: The Parallel Lives of Frederick Douglass
Frederick Douglass
Frederick Douglass was an American social reformer, orator, writer and statesman. After escaping from slavery, he became a leader of the abolitionist movement, gaining note for his dazzling oratory and incisive antislavery writing...

and Abraham Lincoln.
U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters
Maxine Waters
Maxine Waters is the U.S. Representative for , and previously the 29th district, serving since 1991. She is a member of the Democratic Party....

(D-CA)
U.S. Ambassador Andrew Young

Chicago, IL

How do the stories we tell shape history, and how does history shape the stories we tell? This question highlighted the themes at the ALBC's fifth town hall. The June 29, 2009 program featured a conversation between Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr.

Henry Louis Gates, Jr.

Henry Louis “Skip” Gates, Jr., is an American literary critic, educator, scholar, writer, editor, and public intellectual. He was the first African American to receive the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Fellowship. He has received numerous honorary degrees and awards for his teaching, research, and...

and Chicago newspaperman Rick Kogan

Rick Kogan

Rick Kogan is a Chicago newspaperman, a Chicago radio personality and a noted author.- Early life and education :A native of Chicago's Old Town neighborhood, Kogan was born the son of longtime Chicago newspaperman Herman Kogan and longtime Chicago literary and journalism fixture Marilew Kogan...

. The event was held at the Chicago Public Library

Chicago Public Library

The Chicago Public Library is the public library system that serves the City of Chicago in Illinois. It consists of 79 branches, including a central library, two regional libraries, and branches distributed throughout the city....

Endorsed events

The ALBC endorsed 224 events and programs representing 37 states and two foreign nations.

ALBC exhibits

The Library of Congress

Library of Congress

opened "With Malice Toward None: The Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Exhibition" on February 12, 2009. Charting Lincoln's growth from prairie lawyer to preeminent statesman, the exhibit addresses the monumental issues Lincoln faced including slavery and race, dissolution of the Union and the American Civil War

American Civil War

. The traveling exhibition features numerous photographs, letters, speeches, and campaign artifacts rarely seen by the public. Dates for "With Malice Toward None: The Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Exhibit" can be found below:

February 12 - May 9, 2009: Library of Congress, Washington, DC

June 22–August 22, 2009: The California Museum, Sacramento, CA

October 10–December 19, 2009: Newberry Library, Chicago, IL

February 22–April 22, 2010: Indiana State Museum, Indianapolis, IN

September 4–November 6, 2010: Atlanta History Center, Atlanta, GA

January 8, 2011–March 5, 2011: Durham Western Heritage Museum, Omaha, NE

A chronological list of additional national exhibits celebrating Lincoln's 200th birthday can be found on the Bicentennial website. This is not an exhaustive list.

Related events

New-York Historical Society

exhibited a selection of handwritten public documents and letters in "Lincoln in His Own Words: An Intimate Portrait Of Our Greatest President" through July 12, 2009. From 2009-2010, The New-York Historical Society mounted "Lincoln and New York," an exhibition curated by Lincoln Bicentennial Commission co-chair Harold Holzer .

The Global Lincoln

Oxford University was the site of a global conference discussing Lincoln’s international significance and appeal. Scholars from around the world gathered at St. Catherine’s College

St Catherine's College, Oxford

St Catherine's College, often called Catz, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Its motto is Nova et Vetera...

on July 3–5, 2009. The conference, titled Global Lincoln: An International Conference, focused on four subjects:

Lincoln, the United States and the World
Lincoln the Emancipator and Liberator
Lincoln the Nationalist Unifier and Modernizer
Lincoln the Progressive and Democrat

Professor Richard Carwardine moderated the conference.

Lincoln, the United States and the World

Contributions by Professor Carwardine, Dr. Jay Sexton of Oxford, Odd Arne Westad of London School of Economics and Lincoln scholar Harold Holzer explored Lincoln's understanding of the globe and US role in foreign affairs.

Dr. Sexton considered the ways in which American educators and statesmen attempted to project an image of the Lincoln across the globe, particularly during the Cold War and when formulating and articulating American foreign policy. Dr. Westad expanded on the Cold War and explored the ways in which peoples and states conceived of Lincoln and used his image for their own purposes. Finally, ALBC Commissioner Harold Holzer examined prints and statues of Lincoln’s image across the world.

Lincoln the Emancipator and Liberator

Part two of the conference focused on Lincoln’s international view as an emancipator and liberator. Professor Norman Saul of Kansas State delivered a Russian perspective of Lincoln and the president’s image in the context of Russia’s revolutionary changes during the birth of the soviet era. The discussion continued with a Latin America perspective from Professor Nicola Miller of the University College of London. Professor Miller examined how Lincoln served as a powerful symbol in Brazil and Cuba during those country’s emancipation.

Finally, historian David Blight of Yale University revisited the perceptions of southerners during Lincoln’s era. Initially, many feared him as the embodiment of ‘Black Republicanism’ but after the war these same southerners came to recognize him as the charitable alternative to the regime of radical Republicans during Reconstruction.

Lincoln the Nationalist Unifier and Modernizer

Part three focused on the time period between 1865–1945. Professor Eugenio Biagini

Eugenio Biagini

Prof. Eugenio F. Biagini is an Italian historian, specialising in British, Irish and Italian liberalism.He completed his bachelors' degree at the University of Pisa before completing his doctorate at the Scuola Normale Superiore di Pisa...

of the University of Cambridge examined the perceptions of Lincoln in Germany and Italy as they underwent parallel processes of unification and economic growth. Other discussion topics included Lincoln’s influence in East Asia, India, South Africa and during the Spanish Civil War with the “Lincoln Brigades.“

Lincoln the Progressive and Democrat

Plans to explore Lincoln’s legacy and reputation throughout Great Britain and Ireland. Adam I.P. Smith, University College London, discussed Lincoln's legacy as it relates to Scotland

Scotland

Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...

and England

England

England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

.

A Wales

Wales

Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...

perspective came from Kenneth O. Morgan of University of Oxford. Professor Morgan addressed Lincoln’s reputation and influence in Wales during the later nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

Professor Kevin Kenny of Boston College discussed Lincoln's relationship with Ireland. Professor Kenny broadened the discussion to include the Irish in America

Irish American

Irish Americans are citizens of the United States who can trace their ancestry to Ireland. A total of 36,278,332 Americans—estimated at 11.9% of the total population—reported Irish ancestry in the 2008 American Community Survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau...

. The main focus was Lincoln's image in debates regarding Irish nationalism and Ireland’s place in the Union.

External links

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