Abraham Lincoln Exhibit @ Central

St. Louis, MO . . . The St. Louis Public Library is proud to present the national traveling exhibit Forever Free: Abraham Lincoln’s Journey to Emancipation. The exhibit will be on display in Central Library’s Great Hall, 1301 Olive Street, from October 6-November 14. Exhibit hours are Mondays: 10 a.m.-9 p.m.; Tuesdays-Fridays: 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Saturdays: 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sundays: Closed.

Forever Free focuses on President Lincoln’s efforts toward the abolition of slavery during the Civil War. The St. Louis Public Library is one of only 63 libraries in the United States to host this important exhibit between 2006 and 2010. The exhibit consists of reproductions of rare historical documents. Also on display will be primary resources from the Civil War period that are a permanent part of the Library’s collections. The Library is also hosting many related programs including:

October 8  7 p.m.  Central Library, 1301 Olive Street. Keynote Address by Martin Sandler entitled Images, Presidents & Politics. Sandler discusses his latest book, Lincoln Through the Lens: How Photography Revealed and Shaped an Extraordinary Life, with Laurna Godwin, co-founder of Vector Communications Corp. and former host and reporter for KETC-TV (Channel 9) and KPLR-TV (Channel 11). During the discussion, Sandler and Godwin will also address the impact of media image on political candidates today as well as answering questions from the audience. Copies of Sandler’s books will be available for purchase and signing courtesy of Left Bank Books.

October 9  7 p.m.  Schlafly Branch, 225 N. Euclid Avenue. Dance Discovery will perform music and dance that was familiar to people in the mid-1800s.

October 14  9:30 a.m.  Central Library, 1301 Olive Street. Carole Shelton takes audience members back to Lincoln’s time with stories for children about Elizabeth Keckley, dressmaker and confidante of Mary Todd Lincoln.

October 22  7 p.m.  Buder Branch, 4401 Hampton Avenue. Author Gary Ecelbarger discusses and signs his new book, The Great Comeback: How Abraham Lincoln Beat the Odds to Win the 1860 Republican Nomination. Books available for purchase and signing courtesy of Left Bank Books.

October 25  10 a.m.  Central Library, 1301 Olive Street. History & Hauntings of Jefferson Barracks. Tom Pearson entertains with history and lore of this well-known military cemetery.

November 1  10 a.m.  Central Library, 1301 Olive Street. “To Rally With the Hearts of Lions”: African-American Soldiers in the Civil War. For history buffs, Civil War enthusiasts, and genealogists! Explore the history and wartime exploits of the U.S. Colored Troops and learn how to research ancestors who served in the U.S.C.T.

November 5  10:30 a.m.  Central Library, 1301 Olive Street. Bobby Norfolk Presents Lincoln and the Civil War: A House Divided Against Itself Cannot Stand. Portraying a freed slave named Jacob, Norfolk uses first person narratives, poetry, and song to highlight the key players, events, and political forces that brought ordinary men and women into extraordinary circumstances. Grades 3-12.

MOVIES AND FILM SERIES

October 7  10 a.m.  Machacek Branch, 6424 Scanlan Avenue. Movie: Friendly Persuasion. View and discuss a film based on Jessamyn West’s book about a Quaker family dealing with the challenge the Civil War presents to their pacifism.

Tuesdays in October  6-8 p.m.  Schlafly Branch, 225 N. Euclid Avenue. Film Series: Lincoln. View and discuss the acclaimed PBS television series. To enhance the program, the books Forced Into Glory: Abraham Lincoln’s White Dream by Lerone Bennett and The Emancipation Proclamation: Three Views by Harold Holzer, Edna G. Medford, and Frank Williams will also be discussed.

October 7, Part 1—The Making of the President: 1860-1862

October 14, Part 2—The Pivotal Year: 1863

October 21, Part 3—I Want to Finish This Job: 1864

October 28, Part 4—Now He Belongs to the Ages: 1865

October 29  1:30 p.m.  Cabanne Branch, 1106 Union Blvd., AND November 12  3 p.m.  Divoll Branch, 4234 N. Grand Blvd. Movie: Glory, starring Matthew Broderick and Denzel Washington. Robert Gould Shaw leads the United States’ first all-black volunteer company while fighting the prejudices of both his own Union army and the Confederates.

 

SHORT PROGRAMS

For school groups or others coming to view the exhibit, you can also arrange for a short presentation on a topic related to Abraham Lincoln, the Civil War, and St. Louis during this turbulent time in U.S. history. The choices are:

*     St. Louis in the 1860s.

*     Killed by the Cure: Civil War Medicine.*

*     Breastworks, Bullets, and Bayonets: Civil War Weapons, Strategy, and Tactics.*

*     “To Rally With the Hearts of Lions”: African-American Soldiers in the American Civil War (expanded program on this topic is scheduled for November 1).*

*     CW 24/7: Researching Civil War Soldiers & Regiments on the Internet.*

*     Hells on Earth: St. Louis’ Civil War Prisons.*

*     Maps – The U.S., Missouri, and St. Louis, 1860s.

*     Inventions and Abe Lincoln.

*     Local Politics in St. Louis in the 1860s.

These programs can be 30-, 45-, or 60-minutes but are only available on limited dates.

Groups must call at least 48 hours in advance to check on the availability of the desired program and reserve space. Programs average between 20 and 30 minutes. We request that a minimum of 10 people be present for programs. Call 314-539-0382 now to make your reservations!

“Forever Free: Abraham Lincoln’s Journey to Emancipation” has been organized by the Huntington Library, San Marino, California, and the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, New York City, in cooperation with the American Library Association Public Programs Office. This exhibition was made possible by major grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities, promoting excellence in the humanities, and the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission, created by Congress and charged with planning the national celebration of Lincoln’s 200th birthday.

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9/23/2008