FEBRUARY 1, 2007
President Abraham Lincoln

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with Harold Holzer, Thomas Wheeler (Author)
Authors talked about different aspects of President Abraham Lincoln. Harold Holzer talked about the New York speech "that made Lincoln president." Mr. Holzer, co-chair of the Lincoln Bicentennial Commission, is the author of Lincoln at Cooper Union: The Speech That Made Abraham Lincoln President. Tom Wheeler talked about Lincoln as the first "online" president. Mr. Wheeler, a technology entrepreneur, is the author of Mr. Lincoln's T-Mails: the Untold Story of How Abraham Lincoln Used the Telegraph to Win the Civil War. The book describes how President Lincoln learned to use a new technology to manage a far-flung enterprise.

NOVEMBER 19, 2006
Team of Rivals

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with Doris Kearns Goodwin (Historian)
Doris Kearns Goodwin talked about her book Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln. She described President Lincoln's relationships with three men he selected for his cabinet, all of whom had been his opponents for the Republican nomination in 1860. They were William Seward, Salmon Chase, and Edward Bates. After her presentation, Ms. Goodwin responded to audience members' questions.

NOVEMBER 29, 2005
Lincoln's Melancholy: How Depression Challenged a President

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with Joshua Wolf Shenk (member, Lincoln Bicentennial Commission), Rosalyn Carter
Mr. Shenk talked with former first lady Rosalyn Carter about his book Lincoln's Melancholy: How Depression Challenged a President and Fueled His Greatness. The book looks at President Lincoln's lifelong battle with depression. The author examines how Lincoln's struggle with a depression that was seen by his contemporaries as a crucial aspect of his life and character could have contributed to Lincoln's triumphs. Mr. Shenk discussed the potential of people living with mental illness. They talked about the stigma still associated with depression and how it might be overcome. Mrs. Carter also talked about her efforts to spread awareness of clinical depression and to get legislation passed that will allow treatment to be covered by general medical insurance. Mr. Shenk began his work on President Lincoln's depression as a Rosalyn Carter Fellow in Mental Health Journalism at the Carter Center. After their conversation they answered audience members' questions.

NOVEMBER 18, 2005
Lincoln In The "Times": The Life Of Abraham Lincoln

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with Harold Holzer Editor
Harold Holzer was interviewed about the book he co-edited with David Herbert Donald, Lincoln in the "Times:" The Life of Abraham Lincoln as Originally Reported in "The New York Times."

NOVEMBER 18, 2005
Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address

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with James Getty (Actor)
Mr. Getty portrayed Abraham Lincoln at the 2005 Lincoln Forum. He recited President Lincoln's second inaugural address.

NOVEMBER 17, 2005
Lincoln's Other White House

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with Elizabeth Smith Brownstein (Author)
Elizabeth Smith Brownstein was interviewed about her book Lincoln's Other White House: The Untold Story of the Man and His Presidency. In the book, she compiled a detailed portrait of President Lincoln's sojourns in the Soldiers' Home, a country residence on the grounds of a veterans' asylum three miles north of the White House, where he and his family spent several months a year from 1862 to 1864. In her book, she also chronicled President Lincoln's interactions with both the free black household staff and escaped slaves housed in nearby camps.

FEBRUARY 11, 2005
Lincoln Seen and Heard

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with Harold Holzer, Sam Waterston, President George W. Bush
Mr. Waterston read portions of President Abraham Lincoln's writings, poetry, and memoirs as Mr. Holzer placed the readings in perspective. Among the topics they addressed were Lincoln's interest in literature, public service, views on slavery and sectionalism. Following the presentation President Bush made brief remarks about Lincoln's legacy.

NOVEMBER 17, 2004
Abraham Lincoln & the Election of 1864

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with Joseph Glatthaar (Professor at the University of Houston)
Mr. Glatthaar talked about Abraham Lincoln's campaign for president in 1864, his relationship with the Union high command, and the influence of the war and emancipation on the political process. Following his remarks he answered questions from the audience.

NOVEMBER 17, 2004
Lincoln & the Soldiers' Vote in 1864

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with Frank J. Williams, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Rhode Island & Member of the Lincoln Bicentennial Commission
Judge Williams talked about the reasons that 70 percent of the soldiers of the Union Army voted for Lincoln in the 1864 election. Lincoln's opponent was General George McClellan. He showed many pictures from the book. After his presentation he answered audience members' questions. Mr. Williams has written 11 books about President Lincoln, including Judging Lincoln.

JUNE 2, 2004
Lincoln's War

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with Geoffrey Perret (Historian)
Geoffrey Perret spoke about his book Lincoln's War: The Untold Story of America's Greatest President as Commander in Chief.. The book appraises Abraham Lincoln's abilities as U.S. Commander in Chief during the War Between the States. Mr. Perret argues that Lincoln put national survival above political, military and legal restraints. After the discussion, the author answered questions from members of the audience.

NOVEMBER 17, 2002
Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address

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with Ronald White, Historian
Mr. White talked about President Lincoln and the Civil War, focusing on President Lincoln's second inaugural address. Following prepared remarks, he responded to questions from the audience. Mr. White is the author of Lincoln's Greatest Speech: The Second Inaugural.

MARCH 16, 2002
Lincoln's Greatest Speech: The Second Inaugural

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with Ronald White, Historian
Mr. White talked about his book, Lincoln's Greatest Speech: The Second Inaugural. Mr. White said that the speech was also the culmination of his lifelong struggle with the issue of slavery. Mr. White said that Lincoln was aware that the content of the speech would be both controversial and profound.

JUNE 15, 2001
Gettysburg Address Press Coverage

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with Mark Mitchell,President of the Mitchell Archives
Mr. Mitchell talked about how President Lincoln's Gettysburg Address was covered by the newspapers of the time.

MARCH 15, 2001
A New Birth of Freedom

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with Harry Jaffa, (Professor at Claremont McKenna College)
Professor Jaffa discussed his book A New Birth of Freedom: Abraham Lincoln and the Coming of the Civil War. In his book, Professor Jaffa examines what philosophical principles influenced Lincoln during the Civil War. In particular, he looks to the Declaration of Independence and the works of the founding fathers to see how Lincoln drew on these writings to formulate his opinions on slavery, free speech, majority rule and more generally, his understandings of democratic theory. He looks to the statements made during the Lincoln-Douglas debates to delineate Lincoln's beliefs in natural law, John Locke and Aristotle. Professor Jaffa also looks to Lincoln's principles regarding individual liberty and their influence on current thinkers such as Chief Justice Rehnquist, Supreme Court Justice Scalia and Judge Robert Bork. After his remarks he answered questions from members of the audience.

NOVEMBER 19, 2000
The Wartime Abraham Lincoln

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with Martin Marty, Professor University of Chicago, Divinity School
Professor Marty delivered a lecture entitled "The Wartime Abraham Lincoln and the Ironic Tradition in American." He focused on President Lincoln as a religious thinker and the historical irony of events.

NOVEMBER 19, 2000
Gettysburg Address Re-Enactment

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As part of the ceremony marking the 137th anniversary of the Gettysburg Address, an actor portraying President Lincoln delivered the address.

NOVEMBER 19, 2000
The 137th Anniversary of the Gettysburg Address

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with James McPherson, Professor of History at Princeton University, Christie Todd Whitman, Governor of New Jersey, Chester Byers, Vice President of the Lincoln Fellowship of Pennsylvania, Tina Grimm, President of the Lincoln Fellowship of Pennsylvania, Wayne Hill, Singer
Marking the 137th anniversary of President Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, participants spoke about the significance of the occasion and of President Lincoln. An actor portraying President Lincoln then gave the Gettysburg Address. Mr. Hill sang "The Battle Hymn of the Republic."

JULY 11, 2000
Behind the Scenes, Or, Thirty Years a Slave and Four Years in the White House

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A book discussion group considered Elizabeth Keckley's 1868 book Behind the Scenes, Or, Thirty Years a Slave and Four Years in the White House. The book is a narrative describing the life of a slave in 19th century America. Keckley was a slave who purchased her freedom in 1855 and worked as a seamstress for Mrs. Jefferson Davis and eventually for Mary Todd Lincoln in the White House.

OCTOBER 26, 1999
The Presidency of Abraham Lincoln

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with Philip Paludan (Professor of History at the University of Kansas)
Mr. Paludan talked about his book, The Presidency of Abraham Lincoln. He focused on Lincoln's views on slavery, and challenges historical convention by claiming that freeing the slaves was a deciding factor in Lincoln's decision to preserve the Union.

NOVEMBER 19, 1998
The 135th Anniversary of the Gettysburg Address

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with Tina Grimm, Vice President of Lincoln Fellowship of Pennsylvania, James Getty, actor, John Hope Franklin, Professor at Duke University, David Klinepter, actor
Tina Grimm read a letter from Tom Brokaw, explaining that he could not attend since he was covering the impeachment proceedings. Dr. Franklin spoke about the importance of the Gettysburg address. Mr. Klinepeter portrayed Governor Andrew Curtain and introduced Mr. Getty as President Lincoln. Mr. Getty portrayed President Lincoln and delivered the Gettysburg address. Mr. Wayne Hill sang a popular tune of the era, "The Battle Hymn of the Republic."

NOVEMBER 17, 1997
Letters to President Lincoln

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with Harold Holzer
Mr. Holzer talked about the research for his new book, The Lincoln Mailbag, America Writes to the President, 1861-1865: Letters to the President, 1861-1865. He focused on how the letters to show the close relationship between the U.S. public and President Lincoln. After his remarks, he took questions from the audience. He also published "Dear Mr. Lincoln: Letters to the President" in 1994.

NOVEMBER 23,1996
Gettysburg Address Portrayal

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with James Humes, Former Presidential Speechwriter
Mr. Humes spoke about the speech given by President Lincoln on November 19, 1863 to dedicate the Gettysburg Civil War battlefield as a national cemetery. He analyzed the process of writing the speech, the origins and meanings of the concepts contained in it and Lincoln as he delivered it. He also recited it in his idea of Lincoln's voice.

DECEMBER 12,1994
Gettysburg Address

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with Garry Wills, Author
Mr. Wills, author of Lincoln at Gettysburg: The Words that Remade America, talked about the the Gettysburg address, which President Lincoln delivered on November 19, 1863. He spoke at a ceremony dedicating a national cemetery at the Gettysburg battlefield site for about three minutes after Edward Everett spoke for about two hours. The Library of Congress displayed one of its two original manuscripts for the first time in 23 years. Only five versions are known to exist.

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