Archives
Civil War connections during Obama Inauguration
For those of you who watched President Obama’s inauguration yesterday, did you catch all the Civil War and Abraham Lincoln references? By my count, there were four moments that struck a Civil War chord: * In Senator Charles Schumer’s opening remarks, he referenced the “improbable completion of the Capitol dome and capping it with a statue of freedom” in 1863. …
Read MoreReflections on Evolving Views
By Erin Carlson Mast One hundred and fifty years ago, our country was deeply divided over an issue of individual liberty—slavery. We are currently divided over yet another issue of personal freedom. What’s more, political analysts and journalists are drawing comparisons between Obama’s recent self-proclaimed evolving views on the issue of gay marriage to Lincoln’s evolving views and policies regarding …
Read MoreThe Power of Partnerships
By Kerry Plunkett What is a partner? From the time of kindergarten arts and crafts projects to marriage, it’s one of those words that we hear all of our lives. From spouses, to superheroes, and now historic sites, partners are those who share and support each other in a joint endeavor or cause. Historic sites can take a cue from …
Read MorePAST EVENT: Children’s Book Reading at President Lincoln’s Cottage
Can you describe what President Abraham Lincoln or George Washington looked like? How about President Grover Cleveland or Calvin Coolidge? In the new children’s book What Does the President Look Like?, author and Presidential historian Jane Hampton Cook analyzes how young people have viewed the President since the founding of our country. Through paintings, photographs, television or the internet, the …
Read MoreThe Brownsville Affair through the Lens of Lincoln
By Callie Hawkins Lesson plans contributed by Paul LaRue Paul LaRue, a teacher at Washington High School in Washington Court House, Ohio, was looking for a way to provide context and relevance for his students’ study of United States history that would extend his classroom discussions to include people and events occurring beyond the parameters of his state’s high school …
Read MoreDear Mr. President…
March 26, 2009 President Barack Obama The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, D.C. 20500 Dear Mr. President: I took particular interest in a comment you made during your recent 60 Minutes interview regarding your difficulty in escaping the Presidential “bubble” to spend time with ordinary Americans in ordinary places. As a student and admirer of Lincoln, I thought …
Read More“Did Lincoln blaze a trail for Obama?”
The UK’s Chanel 4 News recently filmed an interview with Doris Kearns Goodwin at President Lincoln’s Cottage as part of a report by Jon Snow on how “Barack Obama’s inauguration is suffused with references to the 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln.” The 7 minute report aired on Monday, January 20th 2009. Click the link to watch the segment: …
Read MoreIn Town for the Inauguration?
Are you in town for the Presidential Inauguration and looking for something to do? Are you dreading the crowds on the National Mall? To escape the chaos of downtown Washington, just as President Lincoln did, visit President Lincoln’s Cottage, located on a hilltop in northwest Washington, D.C. The site is closed January 20th, but is open all other days this weekend and …
Read More“Lincoln’s Intelligent Patriotism” Lecture this Thursday
The Catholic University of America is hosting a lecture series as part of their spring 2009 Lincoln Bicentennial Semester. The first lecture in the series, “Lincoln’s Intelligent Patriotism” by Dr. Joseph Fornieri, with take place this Thursday, January 15, 2009, at 4 o’clock in the afternoon. This program is free and open to the public, and will take place at The …
Read MoreLincoln and Obama, Poets
The Atlantic Online published an article by David Barber about Obama’s invocation of Lincoln time and again and a comparison of their dabbles in poetry. The article is well worth a read. http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200812u/lincoln-obama-poetry
Read More