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Throughout his life, Abraham Lincoln wondered if he would leave his mark on history. Today, 200 years after his birth, people around the world still find inspiration in his story.
Join us April 14-26, 2010, as the Museum, Ford's Theatre, and President Lincoln's Cottage commemorate the assassination and mourning of Abraham Lincoln with special activities across the Web and around D.C.
Follow us on Twitter (hashtag: #rememberabe) and Facebook for intriguing facts and a few hunt-inspired challenges.
April 14, 1865
Richmond had fallen. Lee had surrendered. The war was finally coming to an end. It was time to celebrate the victory, unify the American people, and rebuild the nation.
The deep lines etched into Lincoln’s face documented the strain of so many pressures, sleepless nights, and tragedies. His astonishing resolve had sustained him through the conflict, and he now looked to a future beyond the war and the presidency.
On the evening of Good Friday, April 14, Lincoln decided to spend a relaxing evening at the theater . . . |
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Exhibition |
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Abraham Lincoln: An Extraordinary Life
His story is as familiar to Americans as any children’s fable.
He was born in a log cabin.
He became the 16th president.
He freed the slaves and saved the Union.
He was assassinated at Ford’s Theatre.
How did an unschooled, backwoods politician rise to the presidency and guide the nation through its greatest crisis? Who was this individual who helped to define our country’s future through the force of his leadership and intellect?
Visit the exhibition online or in-person.
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From the Blog |
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From Flickr: Your Photos of Lincoln |
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Selected Objects from the Exhibition |
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 White House Coffee Cup
Capt. D. W. Taylor presented this cup to Robert Todd Lincoln in 1887. He explained that a White House servant had seen the president leave the cup behind on a windowsill just before departing for the theater, and had preserved it as a relic of that tragic night.
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Laura Keene’s Bloodstained Cuff
The leading actress of Our American Cousin, Laura Keene, rushed with water to the president’s box. As she cradled the president’s head, drops of his blood stained her cuff. She gave the cuff to her niece who preserved it throughout her life. Bequest of Virginia Adler Thompson, niece of Laura Keene, 1962. | |
Prison Hoods
Secretary of War Edwin Stanton ordered that the imprisoned conspirators wear hoods at all times. These canvas hoods with rope ties were made for this purpose. The accused wore the hoods in their cells and on their way to trial.
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Video: Lincoln Lecture Series |
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Uneasy Partners: Lincoln and Frederick Douglass, LBJ and Martin Luther King Jr. (March 26, 2009)
Moderated by Juan Williams of National Public Radio, John Stauffer of Harvard University and author of Giants: The Parallel Lives of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln, and Nick Kotz author of Judgment Days: Lyndon Baines Johnson, Martin Luther King, Jr., and the Laws That Changed America discussed the relationships between these two presidents and two legendary Civil Rights leaders. View webcast of this event (Windows Media format).
Lincoln, the Smithsonian, and Science (April 23, 2009)
A discussion of Abraham Lincoln's philosophy on government-supported scientific study, the President's relationship with Smithsonian Secretary Joseph Henry, and the role of presidential science advisors to this day. Discussion features: Marc Rothenberg, editor of The Joseph Henry Papers Project at the Smithsonian Archives; Thomas B. Allen and Roger MacBride Allen, authors of "Mr. Lincoln's High Tech War: How the North Used the Telegraph, Railroads, Surveillance Balloons, Iron-Clads, High-Powered Weapons, and More to Win the Civil War." President Obama’s science advisor John P. Holdren, the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, offers thoughts on the challenge of Presidential science advising today. Moderated by Smithsonian Under Secretary for History, Art, and Culture, Richard Kurin. View webcast of this event
Lincoln, Race and the American Presidency (February 18, 2010)
Fath Davis Ruffins, the museum's curator of African American History and Culture, moderated a panel discussion on race and presidential politics (in Lincoln’s time and our own).
To discuss these issues, which have an incredibly relevant legacy today, panelists included Dr. Maurice Jackson and Dr. Chandra Manning of Georgetown University; Dr. Edna Greene Medford of Howard University; and Dr. Ronald Walters, author of Black Presidential Politics in America and director of the African American Leadership Institute at the University of Maryland. View webcast of this event
The Brass Letters of Citizenship: Lincoln, African Americans and Military Service (February 23, 2010)
Tom Bowman, Pentagon correspondent for National Public Radio, moderated a panel including Dr. Ira Berlin of the University of Maryland and Dr. Chandra Manning of Georgetown University, both experts on the African American military experience in the mid-19th century. The program also included Dr. Nathaniel Frank, Senior Research Fellow at the Palm Center at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and author of Unfriendly Fire, who compared arguments surrounding the issue of the makeup of the United States military in the 19th century with modern arguments around the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy. View webcast of this event
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Follow #rememberabe on Twitter |
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More Lincoln Resources from the Smithsonian |
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Discover Abraham Lincoln in Washington, D.C.
Download and carry along a map of Lincoln sites, stories and exhibitions. (.pdf)
Online Exhibition: The Gettysburg Address
President Abraham Lincoln's short address at the Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, battlefield is one of the most eloquent political speeches in American history. Its inspiring message remains as meaningful today as when first delivered at the dedication of the Soldiers National Cemetery on November 19, 1863. Read about the history of the Address, the White House copy of the document, and watch a video about the restoration of the Lincoln Bedroom, where the artifact is normally housed. The online exhibition includes background information on the speech and a high-resolution scan of the document which allows you to zoom in to view Lincoln’s individual pen strokes. Visit Web site.
Online Exhibition: America's New Birth of Freedom: Documents from the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum
This online exhibition features ten rare and important documents on loan from the Lincoln Library in Springfield, Illinois. These documents have become the cornerstone of current thinking on Lincoln and his legacy and will include a signed copy of the Emancipation Proclamation. Also on view are letters expressing Lincoln's views on emancipation and the conclusion of the Civil War, including Lincoln's letter to James C. Conkling in which he makes his forceful defense of the Emancipation Proclamation, and his letter to Francis Blair on his unwavering demands for peace. Visit Web site.
Online Education Conference on Abraham Lincoln
Explore fascinating aspects of the life and death of one of our nation's greatest presidents. Sessions from the conference, held on Feb. 4 and 5, 2009, are archived so you can replay them at any time. One session featured Harry Rubenstein, curator at the National Museum of American History, discussing his work on the new exhibition and publication, Abraham Lincoln: An Extraordinary Life. Curator Shannon Thomas Perich presented "Public and Private Photography During the Civil War," which offered a greater understanding of how photography was incorporated into everyday lives, and how we value those photographs today as historical objects.
Image Gallery
Download and print a set of objects and quotes from Abraham Lincoln.
K- 4 Kids' Activities: A Letter to Abraham Lincoln
In 1860, while Lincoln was campaigning for the presidency, he received a letter from 11-year-old Grace Bedell, who recommended that he grow a beard. Mr. Lincoln’s Whiskers, written and illustrated by Karen Winnick, tells this story by focusing on Grace’s experience. After reading Mr. Lincoln’s Whiskers, children can engage in several related activities, including a computer-based project, a creative craft, and a field trip right from the book! The activities are intended for use with children from kindergarten to fourth grade in classrooms, during afterschool programs, and at home. Each downloadable activity includes a parent and teacher guide along with directions and historical background information.
Lincoln-related Educational Resources from Smithsonian's History Explorer
Your gateway to innovative, standards-based online resources for teaching and learning American history. Explore the rich resources of the Museum and bring history to life with artifacts, primary sources, and online tools for the classroom, afterschool programs, and home. Visit Web site.
Timeline- Life of Lincoln: 1809-1865
Smithsonian Magazine compiled an interactive timeline with videos and links to its articles about the life of our 16th president. The timeline is rich with images, audio, and background information on Abraham Lincoln. It would be a good way to introduce students to new details of Lincoln’s life or review what they have already learned.
Mr. Lincoln's Washington (Smithsonian Magazine)
The house where the conspirators hatched their heinous plot now serves sushi, and the yard where they were hanged is a tennis court.
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