Authors of ‘Lincoln: The Life and Legacy’ to speak at ALPLM
SPRINGFIELD – A writing desk, a faded document, a Medal of Honor, a stained piece of fabric – together they and dozens of other historic treasures tell the story of Abraham Lincoln, as the co-authors of an award-winning new book will explain April 22 at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum.
The book, “Lincoln: The Life and Legacy that Defined a Nation in 100 Objects,” presents Lincoln’s story via artifacts, documents and photographs from the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum. The stories of these treasures reveal not only Lincoln’s biography but also his impact on the people of his era and the generations since. The book has been honored by the Lincoln Group of New York and the Civil War Roundtable of New York.
“Lincoln: The Life and Legacy” was written by ALPLM Executive Director Christina Shutt and Acquisitions Director Ian Hunt. On Wednesday, they’ll discuss the book’s origin, explain the challenge of selecting just 100 objects and share observations on the book’s most fascinating items.
The free event begins at 7 p.m., but doors open at 6, giving visitors a chance to tour our special companion exhibit, “Lincoln: A Life and Legacy that Defined a Nation.” After they speak, Shutt and Hunt will meet with guests and sign copies of the book. Seats can be reserved in the events section of the ALPLM website, www.PresidentLincoln.Illinois.gov.
“Writing this book was a joy and a challenge,” Shutt said. “It was nearly impossible to limit ourselves to 100 objects, but it was incredibly rewarding to see how those objects could tell us about Lincoln’s life, how he was influenced by others and what impact his leadership had on America.”
The writing desk, for instance, is where Lincoln wrote his First Inaugural Address, which sought to avoid war by invoking “the better angels of our nature.” The document was the 13th Amendment, which ended slavery in America. The Medal of Honor was awarded to an African American soldier who was allowed to fight for freedom by Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation. And the scrap of fabric is stained with Lincoln’s blood from the night of his assassination.
The last day to see the “Lincoln: A Life and Legacy” exhibit – which won its own award from the Illinois Association of Museums – is April 26. The museum’s next special exhibit, “The Second American Revolution” opens in June.
The mission of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum is to inspire civic engagement through the diverse lens of Illinois history and share with the world the life and legacy of Abraham Lincoln. We pursue this mission through a combination of rigorous scholarship and high-tech showmanship built on the bedrock of the ALPLM’s unparalleled collection of historical materials – roughly 13 million items from all eras of Illinois history.
For more information, visit www.PresidentLincoln.illinois.gov. You can follow the ALPLM on Facebook, X/Twitter and Instagram.
