By Jeffrey Boutwell Washington D.C. June 15, 2026 Christopher Newman, a PhD. candidate whose research is investigating Abraham Lincoln’s role in New Orleans voodoo culture, is the recipient of the Lincoln Group of D.C.’s two research fellowships at the Howard University History Department. Voodoo researcher Christopher Newman The Lincoln Group’s grants are intended to promote better understanding of the legacy and importance of Abraham Lincoln in American life. Newman’s

Washington, D.C. June 9, 2026 Following is a statement from the board of the Lincoln Group of the District of Columbia, which since 1935 has been dedicated to educating the public about the life, legacy and vision of Abraham Lincoln: "The process should not be rushed and must be transparent." “The Lincoln Memorial is Washington's most visited monument, with more than eight million people a year coming to pay tribute to Abraham Lincoln, our nation's greatest president. Even mo

By Bob Willard Washington, DC Monday, June 8, 2026 [Editor's Note: The Abraham Lincoln Association recently posted on its Facebook page the following query: What's your favorite Lincoln-related historical site and why? LGDC member Bob Willard weighed in with his favorite site...and it's right here in Washington, DC.] It's difficult to pick just one Lincoln site (and I have been to most of them). For me, I'm going to go with Lincoln Park on Capitol Hill. In 1861-62 a large ho

By John A. O'Brien Denver, Colorado Friday, May 29, 2026 Yale professor of law and political science Ahkil Reed Amar will join the regular meeting of the Lincoln Study Forum on June 13 as they complete discussion of his timely and engaging book, Born Equal: Remaking America’s Constitution, 1840-1920. The session is open to all Lincoln Group members. Dr. Amar is a gifted educator and legal scholar who appears frequently on television news shows to provide analysis for U.S. S

By Ed Epstein Washington, D.C. Tuesday, May 26, 2026 Big crowds are expected when the new $70 million, 15,000-square-foot underground museum and visitors center opens at the Lincoln Memorial on June 25, so the National Park Service is instituting a ticketing system. Part of the exhibits at the new underground museum. The tickets are free, although there is a $1 non-refundable service fee. Go to recreation.gov and search for "Lincoln undercroft" to get to the page for obtainin

By David J. Kent Washington, DC Friday, May 22, 2026 Four years ago, on May 22, 2022, the Lincoln Group of DC celebrated the centennial of the Lincoln Memorial Dedication with a grand ceremony on the steps of the iconic building. And now the Lincoln Memorial is set for a grand re-opening of sorts as the newly renovated undercroft visitors center is scheduled to open on Thursday June 25, 2026. Most visitors climbing the memorial's steps to get up close and personal with Daniel

By: Kelsey Johnston Baltimore, Maryland Tuesday, May 19 , 2026 The Lincoln Group of the District of Columbia was thrilled to welcome Lois Romano to our monthly meeting on May 12, 2026. Veteran journalist Lois Romano takes a deep dive into Mary Lincoln’s long, difficult years of widowhood to present a more fully contextualized view in "An Inconvenient Widow: The Torment, Trial and Triumph of Mary Todd Lincoln." The book is described by its publisher, Simon & Schuster, as a “r

By Ed Epstein Washington, D.C. Sunday, May 10, 2026 When I became Lincoln Group president in May 2024, I got into the habit of keeping a list of the monthly programs we put on for our members. I’m sure if you read on below to the complete list, you’ll agree with me that it’s an impressive array that would appeal to anyone with an interest in the life, legacy and vision of Abraham Lincoln. So, as you read this, consider joining the Lincoln Group of D.C. to enjoy these members-

By David J. Kent Washington, DC Thursday, April 30, 2026 You never know where you're going to run into Lincoln connections. Unexpectedly, I ran into one in my own hometown of Ipswich, Massachusetts. Twice. I return to my hometown northeast of Boston periodically to visit family. This time I'm here for a series of presentations for my book about Lincoln's two trips to New England. Part of the concept started right here because a mural painted on the side of an old cotton texti

By Ed Epstein Washington D.C. Monday, April 20, 2026 A museum of more than 20,000 square feet celebrating the life and vision of Thaddeus Stevens, the Radical Republican from Pennsylvania who prodded President Abraham Lincoln to issue the Emancipation Proclamation and then pushed for the 13th Amendment outlawing slavery, will open on May 2 in downtown Lancaster, Pa., the town where he lived for many years and where he is buried. The new museum in downtown Lancaster, Pa., open

Washington, D.C. April 15, 2026 Lincoln Group scholar-members recently presented a program, timed to the 250th anniversary year of the Declaration of Independence, about Abraham Lincoln and his "empowering reverence" for the Declaration. Many historians describe Lincoln as the last of the Founders or the son of the Founders. Lincoln himself said that he never had a political thought that did not come from the Declaration and its promise that "all men are created equal" and t

By Jeffrey Boutwell Columbia, Maryland April 13, 2026 Frederick Douglass was there, as was Ulysses S. Grant, both to help celebrate the 150 th anniversary, on Saturday April 11, of the unveiling of the Emancipation Memorial statue in Lincoln Park in Washington, DC. Civil War reenactors at the Lincoln Park event As was the case at the original ceremony on April 14, 1876, attended by over 20,000 people, Douglass (portrayed by Darius Wallace) gave a spirited dedication speech w

By Jeffrey Boutwell Columbia, Md. Monday, April 6, 2026 Redlands, California, an hour east of Pasadena on the way to Palm Springs in the desert, would seem an unlikely spot for a heartfelt memorial to Abraham Lincoln. Though our 16th president and wife Mary had expressed hopes of visiting California and the American West following his second term in office, it wasn’t to be. Instead, Lincoln’s presence in Southern California would have to wait until 1932, when Robert and Alma

by David J. Kent Washington, DC Monday, March 30, 2026 Washington's Emancipation Memorial, often called the Freedmen's Memorial, celebrates the 150th anniversary of its dedication on Saturday April 11, 2026. And the Lincoln Group of DC will be represented. Everyone's invited to this free program. Immediately after hearing of Abraham Lincoln's assassination, a formerly enslaved woman named Charlotte Scott offered $5 to create a memorial honoring Lincoln. She was soon followed

By Wendy Swanson Washington, D.C, Saturday, March 27, 2026 The Emancipation Proclamation Display in the National Archives Rotunda Last night, March 27, 2026, at 8:00 p.m. EDT, the National Archives unveiled the permanent display of the Emancipation Proclamation in the Archives Rotunda. The unveiling of a second historic document, the 19 th Amendment, occurred moments later. The event marked the first time permanent displays have been added to the Rotunda’s “Charters of Freed

By: Kelsey Johnston Baltimore, Maryland Friday, March 20, 2026 In his new book, "Lincoln in New England: In Search of His Forgotten Tours," David J. Kent takes you along for the ride as he explores Lincoln's two forgotten tours of New England. He shared this ride with the Lincoln Group of DC in an exhilarating discussion on March 10. Abraham Lincoln went to New England only twice in his lifetime. During his first trip in 1848 he was an awkward, ungainly westerner, little know

By John A. O'Brien Denver, Colorado Wednesday, March 18, 2026 I suspect that anyone who studies Lincoln might have wondered at some time what it would have been like to be in the crowd at Gettysburg on November 19, 1863, to hear him deliver his “few appropriate remarks” to dedicate the new cemetery. Certainly, there is no recording or time machine to allow us anything like the authentic experience. There is now, however, an amazing alternative that helps to give a glimpse of

By Ed Epstein Washington, D.C. Friday, March 13, 2026 President Abraham Lincoln will again arrive by steam train at Gettysburg, Pa., this time on November 18, 2026, just as he did back in 1863 on the day before he delivered his 272-word Gettysburg Address, a speech that still resonates today. This November's arrival of Lincoln, portrayed by actor Billy Campbell, will kick off two days of festivities to mark the 250th anniversary of American independence and help the public fo

by David J. Kent Washington, DC Thursday, March 12, 2026 The annual Abraham Lincoln Institute (ALI) Symposium will be held at Ford's Theatre on March 21, 2026, and the very special program is not to be missed. This is the third of a series of posts highlighting the upcoming symposium. The ALI Symposium this year will have four panels featuring some of the most preeminent scholars on their topics in a discussion moderated by a renowned journalist. Each panel has a theme relate