by David J. Kent
Washington, D.C.
Saturday, January 27, 2024
It's that time again! The Abraham Lincoln Institute (ALI) has announced the speakers for its 2024 annual symposium held at Ford's Theatre. Pencil Saturday, March 23, 2024, on your calendar and join other members of the Lincoln Group of DC and the public at what promises to be another spectacular event.
This year will feature several names Lincoln Group members should know, an NPR host, and some deep cuts into Civil War issues that all of us need to know. Here's the lineup listed alphabetically:
Callie Hawkins will speak on "Reflections on Grief and Child Loss," in particular the experiences of Mary Lincoln at the loss of her mother, three of her four sons, her husband, and other relatives during the war. Callie should be known to everyone in the Lincoln Group as she was Director of Programs for many years - and recently became CEO & Executive Director - of President Lincoln's Cottage here in Washington, DC. Callie's talk will expand the ongoing exhibit at the Cottage.
Steve Inskeep is a long-time Washington journalist and the nationally recognized host of Morning Edition and Up First on National Public Radio. Inskeep has written several notable books, including those on President Andrew Jackson and John C. (and Jessie) Fremont. He will discuss his newest book, Differ We Must: How Lincoln Succeeded in a Divided America.
Gordon Leidner is a former president of the Lincoln Group of DC and a current ALI board member. He has authored or edited at least seven books on Abraham Lincoln, often focused on lesser-known stories. Gordon will talk about his most recent book, Abraham Lincoln and the Bible: A Complete Compendium.
George C. Rable is an American historian, Professor Emeritus at the University of Alabama, and past president of the Society of Civil War Historians. He received the prestigious Lincoln Prize in 2003 for his book about the battle of Fredericksburg. Rable will speak about his newest book, Conflict of Command: George McClellan, Abraham Lincoln, and the Politics of War.
Michael Zuckert rounds out the speaker list. Zuckert is an American political philosopher and Reeves Dreux Professor Emeritus of Political Science at the University of Notre Dame. He will speak about his book, A Nation So Conceived: Abraham Lincoln and the Paradox of Democratic Sovereignty, which is devoted to exploring the paradoxical duality of "created equal."
As with all ALI Symposia, the event is free to the public, but you must register in advance at the Ford's Theatre website: https://fords.org/event/abraham-lincoln-institute-symposium/