Big Changes to ALI's 2026 Symposium, LGDC Co-Sponsoring, and a New Format

By David J. Kent

Washington, D.C.

Monday, October 27, 2025

The Lincoln Group of DC reached out to all of the Abraham Lincoln-related groups in 2023 seeking collaborations on the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence—and the United States—occurring in 2026. We recently announced one of those collaborations in which we teamed up with the Abraham Lincoln Association (ALA) to create Lincoln250.org, a website to highlight Abraham Lincoln's strong admiration for the Declaration and the nation's founding principles.

We also reached out to the Abraham Lincoln Institute (ALI), the Washington, DC-based organization that organizes the annual ALI Symposium held at Ford's Theatre every March. The LGDC worked with ALI to develop a program focused on Lincoln and the founding, and the result is a very different format than in previous years. Rather than five authors of new books individually presenting about their work, the 2026 event scheduled for March 21 will consist of a series of panels featuring some of the most renowned experts on both Lincoln and the origins of our democracy. Each panel will be moderated by a well-known journalist. Here's a partial lineup (note that the order may change as the program is finalized):

Panel 1: Lincoln and Democracy - Past, Present, and Future

Annette Gordon-Reed: Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award winner known for her work on Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings, as well as her book, On Juneteenth. She is the recipient of both the National Humanities Medal and a MacArthur Fellowship (the "Genius Grant").

Richard Brookhiser: Historian and senior editor of the National Review known for his biographies of America's founders, including Alexander Hamilton, Gouverneur Morris, and George Washington. He also wrote Founders' Son: A Life of Abraham Lincoln.

Moderated by Judy Woodruff: Journalist, White House correspondent, and long-time host of PBS NewsHour.

Panel 2: Steps to Civil War

Edda Fields-Black: Director of the Dietrich College Humanities Center at Carnegie Mellon University. She won the 2025 Gilder Lehrman and Pulitzer Prizes for her most recent book, COMBEE: Harriet Tubman, the Combahee River Raid, and Black Freedom During the Civil War.

Richard Carwardine: Former president of Corpus Christi College, Oxford, and best known for his work on Abraham Lincoln, including Lincoln's humor, his life of "purpose and power," and his most recent book, Righteous Strife: How Warring Religious Nationalists Forged Lincoln's Union.

Moderated by Steve Inskeep: Journalist, national and international correspondent, and long-time host of NPR's Morning Edition.

Panel 3: Lincoln, the Declaration of Independence, and the Promise of Equality

Akhil Reed Amar: American legal scholar known for his expertise in US constitutional law, originalism, and the Bill of Rights. He has written extensively on the Constitution and Abraham Lincoln's adherence, including in his newest book, Born Equal: Remaking America's Constitution.

Lucas Morel: Former president of the Abraham Lincoln Institute, member of the scholarly board of advisors for the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission, and currently serves on the US Semiquincentennial Commission planning activities to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the nation's founding. Among his books is Lincoln and the American Founding.

Moderated by Jeffrey Rosen: President and CEO of the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia and host of its interview series.

And that's just the initial panels. Plans are being finalized for additional special guests that you won't want to miss.

The Lincoln Group of DC is proud to have worked with ALI in the development of this special edition of the ALI Symposium focused on Abraham Lincoln and the 250th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence that inspired him.

Because of the number and prominence of our speakers, this program will require more additional funding than normally needed for the program. As Co-Host of the event, the Lincoln Group of DC is calling on our membership to help cover the costs of this stellar program.

All funds donated by LGDC will be matched by outside donors!

Please consider donating to help produce this exceptional program. Donations can be given through our website either by PayPal or by writing a check made out to Lincoln Group of DC and mailing it to:

Lincoln Group of DC

P.O. Box 5676 Washington, DC 20016

Please note on the memo line in either PayPal or your check that funds are designated for the 2026 ALI Symposium.

Of course, LGDC welcomes additional donations at any time to Lincoln Group of DC for our many ongoing programs.

Stay tuned for more information on those special guests!