Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum News


	For Immediate Release:	April 16, 2005
	Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library Convenes World's Foremost Lincoln Scholars for Two-Day Conference Features Panel of Scholars Moderated by C-SPAN's Brian Lamb and a Scheduled Keynote Address by David Gergen, Former Advisor to Four Presidents SPRINGFIELD, IL., - As part of the festivities surrounding the opening of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum, the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library will host a two-day scholarly conference, "Lincoln in the 21st Century," April 17-18, featuring the world's foremost Lincoln scholars. The conference, which is open to the public, will examine the state of Lincoln scholarship at the dawn of the new century and on the eve of the Lincoln Bicentenary. "Lincoln in the 21st Century" will explore topics ranging from Lincoln's domestic life and his attitude toward race to his wartime leadership and assassination. The first day will culminate with Gergen's keynote address at 3:45 p.m. C-SPAN's Brian Lamb will conclude the conference at 3:30 p.m. on day two with a panel featuring three generations of Lincoln scholars: Harold Holzer, author of Lincoln at Cooper Union; Matthew Pinsker, an expert in Civil War history at Dickinson College and author of Lincoln's Sanctuary: Abraham Lincoln and the Soldier's Home; and two-time Pulitzer Prize winner David Herbert Donald, author of the best-selling Lincoln. "The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum's marriage of 21st-century technology and impeccable scholarship gives visitors immersive, interactive experiences that make the 19th century come alive," said Richard Norton Smith, the museum's executive director. "The opening of this state-of-the-art institution is the perfect opportunity to gather the world's most knowledgeable Lincoln experts to explore the latest advances in Lincoln scholarshipóand to examine how the lessons of Lincoln's life and times can inform the world we live in today." Attending the Conference Tickets for the two-day event are $50 each and include two lunches and a breakfast. They can be purchased by filling out the form and following the instructions on the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum and Library (ALPLM) Web site at www.alplm.org. The information can be accessed by first clicking on the "Museum Dedication" icon on the lower left-hand corner of the home page. The Web site also features a complete conference schedule and biographies for the entire slate of speakers. The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum is part of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum (ALPLM), a $150 million complex at the corner of Sixth and Jefferson streets in downtown Springfield. The museum joins the already-open Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library, the home of 12 million items relating to all eras of Illinois history; 47,000 Lincoln artifacts, including the Gettysburg Address, a signed copy of the Emancipation Proclamation and a portion of Lincoln's Second Inaugural Speech; the state's largest database of information on the Civil War, slavery, African-American history and women's history; and Illinois' largest genealogical database. The ALPLM will serve as a gateway to other Lincoln and Lincoln-era sites across the country. It is funded by a combination of state, federal, municipal and private funds, and will be administered by the IHPA. For more information, visit alplm.org. ### << Back to Press Releases