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Library and Museum in Review continued from page 3
Governor Jim edgar’s years in government service, told by edgar himself
as well as the people who worked with and worked against him, is now
available through the Library and Museum’s Oral History Program. In
addition,edgar’s service was the focus of the 2011 Governor’s Conference
held April 15 and 16 at the Library.
Authors
We hosted a number of authors this past year for presentations and book
signings,including: Amanda Foreman,author of A World on Fire: An Epic
History of Two Nations Divided, on July 11; renowned African American
history expert Dr. Charles Branham spoke about “Race, Freedom and
equality: From Lincoln to the Present Day” on February 15; Doug
Peterson, author of the escaped slave narrative The Disappearing Man
and author of 40 books in the “Veggie Tales” children’s series, March
19; Kate Masur, author of An Example for All the Land: Emancipation
and the Struggle over Equality in Washington, D.C., March 22; and New
York Times columnist and author Adam Goodheart, 1861 The Civil War
Awakening, May 21.
Theater
The Shows Division continues its day-to-day operations of Ghosts of the
Library and Lincoln’s Eyes in the union & Holavision Theaters, as well
as ongoing performances of One Destiny, the live theater production that
plays in the union Theater during spring and fall seasons to great acclaim.
This year Ghosts of the Library actor Patrick Russell was added to the cast
andplaywrightRichardHellesenvisitedfromSacramento,Californiatosee
his play performed.The play played to an appreciate audience of students
at a Chicago school in the spring. Shows Division intern Betsy O'Brien,
recent graduate of university of Washington, wrote her thesis around
One Destiny. The thesis
title is "A Methodological
examination of Learning in
Museum Theatre." Seasonal
employee Cory Blissett
performed the role of “Jason
Knox,” in the Ford’s Theatre
exhibit, along with volunteer
Sandra Fritz and Library &
Museum employee Jenifer
Johnson as “Mrs. Wade.”
From left to right: actors Joel Tinsley-Hall,
Christopher Roberts, Tracie Shaw in
Charlayne Woodard's play FLIGHT.
Performance readings from Doris Kearns Goodwin’s Team of Rivals
began last fall and continued into the spring. Ms Goodwin attended the
opening performance of the theater piece in the union Theater. Local
actor and Museum volunteer Bob Davis performed a one-man play A
Soldier’s Story about an African American man who joined the union
Army in the Civil War. One of the Library & Museum's most successful
theater productions took place in March with sold-out performances of
Flight, a play by Charlayne Woodard, about a group of slaves on an 1858
Georgia plantation. Chris Vallillo performed his “Abraham Lincoln in
Song” concert, and many musicians & performing troupes such as the
Central Illinois Civil War Dance Society, Spoon River College, and Lewis
& Clark College community choirs,brought the museum to life with 19thcentury
music throughout the year.
Education
The Horace Mann Fellowship Program completed another successful
year with star teachers from each of the 50 states coming to the Library
and Museum for special educational opportunities. Grants for field trips
to the Museum were once again made available by the Winnick Family
Foundation, and $20,000 was awarded to schools with low-income
enrollment of greater than 30 percent. The education Department once
again made its Lincoln Legacy Learning Kits available free of charge to
teachers or school libraries through the Inter-Library Loan System.
Celebrity visits
Famed photographer Annie Leibovitz's visit
to the Treasures Gallery
Famed photographer Annie
Leibovitz took images of the
Library and Museum’s iconic
artifacts on January 26 for her
newbook,Pilgrimage. Weare
working with her publisher
to hold a book signing event
when the book is released.
Facility rental
The Library and Museum was named as a top wedding reception venue
by The Knot in its 2011 listing of “Best of Weddings.” In addition, union
Station is now the capital city’s newest location for special events, and a
new event Planning Guide is now available for those who want to use the
Library and Museum or union Station for events.
Donations
The14-karat-goldcombinationpen/pencilfromAbrahamLincoln’sWhite
House desk was donated to the Library and Museum on April 15 by the
descendants of the young couple to whom it was given by Mary Lincoln
in 1865.
Discoveries
Library intern
David Spriegel with
previously unknown
Lincoln documents he
discovered
David Spriegel of Gurnee, Illinois, was on the
secondweekofasummerinternshipattheLibrary
when he discovered two original, previously
unknown documents written in 1844 by Lincoln.
The Papers of Abraham Lincoln staff and local
historians have confirmed through new research
that Lincoln spoke in Kewanee during the 1858
u.S.Senate campaign,and have placed a new date
on a speech he made in nearby Toulon.
Library activities
Librarians from Dominican university donated
their services for a week at the Library to assist
with cataloging and other important projects. And many interesting finds
surfaced when Library staff began sorting and cataloging a backlog of
acquired materials—among the finds were original Civil War battle flags.
fall 2011 45