Lincoln links
Lincoln tributes continue at museum
The bicentennial of Abraham Lincoln’s birth passed last month with appropriate celebration, but commemorations continue across the state.
At the Chicago History Museum, a month-long display of one of five manuscripts in Lincoln’s handwriting of his address at the Gettysburg Cemetery dedication will begin April 1.
This is a highlight of the ongoing “Lincoln Treasures” exhibition, through Aug. 16, that incorporates informative programs and prized artifacts such as the 16th president’s pocket watch, his desk, and the bed in which he died.
On Tuesday, March 31, Charles Lachman will be at the museum to discuss his book, “The Last Lincolns,” that tells the story of squabbles that plagued family members in months and years after Lincoln’s assassination.
Lachman, who is executive producer of “Inside Edition,” will speak at 6:30 p.m. Admission is $8 for members, $10 for others, and free to attendees who arrange in advance to purchase the book from the museum and pick it up on March 31. Call (800) 323-7604.
At 1:30 p.m. Sunday, April 5, a documentary video, “The Hunt for John Wilkes Booth,” will be shown at the museum. The 94-minute History Channel presentation covers the conspiracy by the Confederacy to undermine the Union government. Admission is free.
On Tuesday, April 21, a program titled “Wet with Blood” will relate the story of the museum’s acquisition of a cloak that is believed to have been worn by Mary Lincoln the night her husband was shot at Ford’s Theatre.
Chief historian Russell Lewis will cover the evidence, myths and facts about the fascinating object at 6:30 p.m. Admission is free to members, $5 for others.
From 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday, May 16, the museum will sponsor a “Lincoln in Public Art” bus tour with historian Al Walavich of places in Chicago where Lincoln images may be seen. The cost is $40 for members, $45 for others. Call (800) 323-7604.
The Chicago History Museum is planning a motorcoach excursion on June 5 and 6 to Lincoln sites in the state capital. Reservations must be made by April 22 for “Lincoln’s Legacy: A Journey to Springfield.”
The cost of $375 per person, double occupancy ($425 single) includes transportation, lodging, meals, admission fees, tour guides and gratuities. Call (800) 323-7604.
Symposium set in Jacksonville
The Illinois Historical Society will conduct its annual Illinois History Symposium from Thursday to Saturday, March 26-28, at Illinois College in Jacksonville.
Titled “Abraham Lincoln in Ante-Bellum Illinois, 1830-1861,” the symposium will include more than 20 sessions of new research on Lincoln, his contemporaries, the Underground Railroad and Civil War.
Scheduled tour locations include the Governor Joseph Duncan Mansion, the Illinois School for the Deaf, Woodland Farm and other local sites of the Underground Railroad.
Among Lincoln scholars who will speak are Wayne Temple, at the Thursday luncheon, and Michael Burlingame, at the Friday luncheon. There will be a symposium banquet and workshops for teachers and museum professionals.
For more information and registration details, access www.historyillinois.org or call (217) 525-2781.
Goodwin speaks at Chicago gala
Historian Doris Kearns Goodwin will speak during the Chicago Bar Association’s Lincoln Bicentennial Gala on Saturday, May 2, in the Grand Ballroom at Navy Pier.
The recipient of a Pulitzer Prize in history for her book about Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt, Goodwin is the author of “Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln.”
Other highlights of the gala include a performance by the CBA Symphony Orchestra of Aaron Copland’s 1942 composition, “Lincoln Portrait,” and the announcement by journalist Cornelia Grumman of student winners in the CBA Lincoln essay contest.
The event will begin with a 5:30 p.m. reception, followed by 6:15 p.m. dinner and program. For reservations at $175 per person, call Tamra Drees at (312) 554-2057 or access www.chicagobar.org.