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Reflections for President Lincoln’s Cottage
By Scott Ackerman Having worked at President Lincoln’s Cottage for about three and a half of the four years I often reflect on just how far the site has come, and I am so proud that President Lincoln’s Cottage has grown into one of the most unique and innovative historic sites in Washington, D.C. What has remained constant over the …
Read More“Can You Walk Away?” Opens Today!
The long-awaited exhibit on modern slavery in America opens to the public today at President Lincoln’s Cottage. Can You Walk Away? challenges people’s perceptions on this growing humanitarian issue at the very place President Lincoln developed his ideas on freedom in America 150 years ago. Over 12 million men, women, and children are held in slavery across the globe today, …
Read MoreAbraham Lincoln’s Birthday
By Zachary Siegel On Abraham Lincoln’s 203rd birthday we continue to celebrate his legacy as a tremendous figure in the struggle for human rights. Since the year of his death, every generation of Americans has chosen to celebrate Abraham Lincoln in one way or another. Dependent on the world in which they lived, millions of Americans have taken a moment …
Read MoreThe Wolf and the Sheep
By Niles Anderegg On the tour of the Cottage, visitors hear of Lincoln’s use of a parable of “the Wolf and the Sheep.” The point of recounting this story is to explore Lincoln’s views on the institution of slavery, and in particular how his attitude towards slavery and slaveholders had changed over time. But Lincoln’s story also tells us something …
Read MoreNew Exhibit Opening Presidents Day Weekend
On February 17, 2012, President Lincoln’s Cottage will open Can You Walk Away?, an exhibit on modern slavery and human trafficking in the United States. This exhibit is part of a year-long commemoration of the 150th Anniversary of Lincoln developing the Emancipation Proclamation at the Cottage. It will challenge perceptions of slavery in America today and raise awareness of a …
Read MoreHow the Northwest Territory Influenced Lincoln’s Views on Slavery
By Beth Roberts Recently I have been thinking about the states that made up the Northwest Territory, especially Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois. It seems to me that the region’s shared values and institutions helped inform Lincoln’s growth over time. Lincoln’s father, Thomas, was against slavery. That is one of the reasons he moved his family from Kentucky into Indiana. Lincoln …
Read MoreSpreading Holiday Cheer—Lincoln Style
By Rebecca DownesWhat is your favorite part of the holiday season? Is it your brightly decorated Christmas tree or the glowing candles of your menorah? Perhaps it is the thrill of ripping open your holiday gifts and feasting on decorated gingerbread men. For me, the best part of the holiday season are the traditions that have been passed down through …
Read MoreLatest Edition of the Cottage Courier
The latest edition of the Cottage Courier is now available on our website! Stay up-to-date with all that is happening at President Lincoln’s Cottage by subscribing to receive our quarterly e-newsletter. In the fall edition, readers can preview two upcoming exhibits that will be on view in the Robert H. Smith Vistior Education Center at the Cottage. “Seat of War: …
Read MoreA Lincoln Family Thanksgiving
By Kerry Plunkett Every year around this time, I start to think of traditions. Every family has their own. This week as families and friends across the country gather to celebrate Thanksgiving together, I was inspired to start a new tradition with my family. Watching people scour the markets and grocery stores desperately trying to find the last ingredients for …
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