By David J. Kent
Washington, D.C.
Monday, June 3, 2024
Lincoln Group of DC members will again be spotlighted in the next White House Historical Association's History Happy Hour, on Thursday, June 6, 2024, at 6 pm ET. The program is free. Register Here to receive the Zoom link.
The program will feature Immediate Past President David J. Kent, who riffs off his most recent book, Lincoln: The Fire of Genius. He will talk about how Abraham Lincoln helped institutionalize science and modernize America. Lincoln had a lifelong fascination with science and technology and was the only president with a patent. He advocated for technological advancement as a legislator in Illinois and Washington D.C. and became the “go-to” Western lawyer on technology and patent cases during his legal career. For this presentation, Kent will focus on how, during the Civil War, Lincoln drew upon his commitment to science and personally encouraged inventors while taking dramatic steps to institutionalize science via the Smithsonian Institution, the National Academy of Sciences, and the Department of Agriculture.
But there is more! Guest moderating the program is John O'Brien, another past president of the Lincoln Group of DC. John will introduce David and then feed him questions from the audience after the presentation. The entire program will take only about 50 minutes, during which we are sure to have a little fun (especially if the audience pours themselves a little "happy hour" refreshment along with Fernando Sousa).
The White House Historical Association (WHHA) is "a private, nonprofit, educational organization with a mission to enhance the understanding and appreciation of the Executive Mansion." One of their many initiatives is History Happy Hour, which enables experts to present topics related to the White House and the presidency. True to its name, the Happy Hour begins with a cocktail created by Fernando Sousa on behalf of the program's sponsor, Diageo North America, from their headquarters in New York City.
The program is presented virtually via Zoom so pre-registration is required to receive the Zoom link. There is no charge for the program. Register Here.
Let's support the Lincoln Group of DC members and join the program. Normally there are around 400 participants in these programs, so share this around and let's try to get all Lincoln and science aficionados to sign up!
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