A Few Appropriate Remarks

Library of Congress Lincoln Exhibit to Start Traveling This Summer

The Library of Congress has a new exhibit featuring eighteen seldom-seen documents related to Abraham Lincoln. These are on loan from the Benjamin Shapell Family Manuscript Foundation. It's the first time that so much of its Lincoln collection has been publicly displayed in one place. "With Malice Toward None: The National Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Exhibition" opened on February 12, 2009.

The News Tribune describes the exhibit as "a landmark exhibit of letters, photographs, documents, and artifacts." This includes two handwritten passages from Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address delivered on March 4, 1865, one from the beginning of the address and the other from the end. The famous "with malice toward none" ending, of course, is the line from which the exhibit gets its name.

"Also on exhibit will be the first ever public pairing of 11-year old Grace Bedell's letter to Lincoln suggesting that he grow a beard, and Lincoln's reply just four days later; Lincoln's humble acceptance of the 1860 presidential nomination; and his famous condolence letter to Miss Fanny McCullough on the death of her father at the battle of Fredericksburg."

"With Malice Toward None: The Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Exhibition" runs through May 9, 2009, at the Library of Congress. This summer, it travels to just four cities across the U.S.

I'll be headed to Sacramento to see the exhibit at the California Museum (June 24 through August 22, 2009).

After leaving Sacramento, the exhibit will travel to:

• Newberry Library in Chicago (Fall 2009)
• Indiana State Museum in Indianapolis (Winter/Spring 2010), new home of much of the collection from the Lincoln Museum formerly in Ft. Wayne, Indiana
• Atlanta History Center in Atlanta (September 2010)
• Durham Western Heritage Museum in Omaha (Winter 2011)

Just 20 Bucks for Allen Guelzo's Course on Lincoln

Six hours of lectures about Abraham Lincoln by noted Lincoln scholar Professor Allen C. Guelzo can be yours for $20. Dr. Guelzo is a professor at Gettysburg College, and a guest lecturer for the Teaching Company. On sale through April: "Mr. Lincoln: The Life of Abraham Lincoln."

The Teaching Company brings engaging professors into your home or car through courses on DVD, audio CD, and other formats. Since 1990, great teachers from the Ivy League, Stanford, Georgetown, and other leading colleges and universities have crafted over 200 courses.

Ordinarily, the Teaching Company lectures are expensive: most will cost you a few Benjamins. But the audio download version of Allen C. Guelzo presenting 12 lectures on the life of Lincoln will set you back just a few Lincolns.

From the web site description:

In addition to asking what it was like to know Lincoln, Professor Guelzo explores three themes:

• What ideas were at the core of his understanding of American politics?
• Why did he oppose slavery, and what propelled him, in the 1850s, into the open opposition to slavery that led to his election to the presidency in 1860?
• What particular gifts equipped Lincoln to lead the nation through the "fiery trial" of the Civil War?

The mechanism for downloading the MP3 files is kind of clunky, but it does work. The hassle factor is well offset by the quality of the course and the bargain price.

Marvel Comics: Gettysburg Distress

Marvel Comics released a free digital comic book on President's Day called Gettysburg Distress. Click the "Open" graphic on the Marvel site to view the comic.

In this short bit of a booklet, Captain America tells Spider-Man how he traveled back in time to witness Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address.

This isn't available as a download, but the Marvel comic viewer works pretty well. Every now and then, it may ask you to sign up. But this comic is free, so no need to sign up. Just refresh the page and all should be well again.

Lincoln White House Dishes

A plate from the original White House dishes purchased by Mary Lincoln and used in the Lincoln Administration recently sold at Cowan's Auctions in Cincinnati for $14,100. The Hartford Courant reports (February 20, 2009) the plate brought in a handsome price even though it was chipped. Authentic White House plates usually bring $4,000 to $6,000.

The pattern was from E.V. Haughwout and Company, modified by Mary, who changed the border from blue to the fashion rage of the period: a purple-red color called "solferino."

The same pattern was ordered several times in later years when new dishes were needed. The Hartford Courant says this is why some of the dishes are unmarked, some are marked "Fabrique par Haviland & Co. pour J.W. Boteler & Bro., Washington," and some are marked "Theo Haviland, Limoges, France, J.W. Boteler & Son, Washington, D. C."

Economist Runs Articles from 1860s

The Economist magazine is running a series of archived articles in celebration of Abraham Lincoln's bicentennial birthday.

Three articles cover President-Elect Lincoln (November 1860), the assassination of the president (April 1865), and a look-back of the president (July 1865).

(Thanks to Ninad for pointing me to these great pieces.)

Lincoln Musical Celebration in Ft. Wayne, Feb 8

If you're in the Ft. Wayne, Indiana area, you may want to check out "Heartland Sings: A Lincoln Celebration."

It's a multimedia program features songs, marches, and dances that were popular in the 1860s. Sunday, February 8, 2009, at the Arts United Center in Ft. Wayne. General admission is $19.

Lincoln: FREE Smithsonian Online Conference Feb 4 & 5

The Smithsonian's free online conference covering various aspects of the study of Abraham Lincoln is right around the corner. I blogged about it last December, and finally it is here.

February 4 and 5. Starts at 10am Eastern. I'm Pacific: "Lincoln" is just about the only thing that would get me out of my warm and cozy bed at 7am. Is it even light outside then?!

Here's how the Smithsonian describes the conference:

Throughout the days of February 4 and 5, 2009, you’ll explore Smithsonian research and collections related to Lincoln’s life – everything from portraits and diaries to documents and historical artifacts. Alongside Smithsonian curators, you’ll look at Lincoln’s life and legacy from the perspectives of history, science, and art.

Check out the conference sessions and join us. Looks like just over 100 people have logged in early to introduce themselves. I'm sure there are even more lurkers in the discussion forums.

Retelling a Story like You Know It Well, without Realizing You Only Know Part of It

Lots of people get to high school thinking that the Civil War was about slavery. Then they learn that Lincoln said at the start of the war that his goal was, first and foremost, to preserve the Union. Ah-ha! Lincoln didn't care about freeing the slaves... An easy conclusion to make at a time when you're learning not everything is as it seems.

The writer of this article in the Seattle Times fell into the same trap. I was so happy to read the only comment to his article, obviously from someone who had read through to the end of the Lincoln story. The entire comment is worth reading, but here's an excerpt:

"Finally, although Lincoln originally insisted that his main goal was to preserve the Union and slavery was a secondary goal, by 1864 the ending of slavery had become at least as high a priority on his list. When the Confederates sent representatives to a peace conference in early 1865 at Hampton Roads, Lincoln insisted that there could be no peace without re-union of the states, and freeing the slaves. Although other men might have been tempted at the prospect of ending the terrible war at the expense of the slaves, Lincoln held out for the total solution."

Bravo, rhp6033 from Everett, Washington!

Is This Guy Teetering on the Rail at Lincoln's Inauguration?

You've likely seen this picture of Abraham Lincoln during his Second Inaugural Address thousands of times:

But have you ever noticed that guy on the railing? Doesn't it look like if he sneezed, he'd fall off?

Emancipation Exhibit through March at Smithsonian

Today through March 22. Select documents on loan from the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library are now on exhibit at the Smithsonian: National Museum of American History.

America's New Birth of Freedom online exhibit is nicely done. The exhibit includes links to PDF copies of documents, including a signed copy of the Emancipation Proclamation, and other new media features.