I had the honor of introducing and reciting Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address on Lincoln’s Birthday (2/12/24) at the Lincoln Memorial. Plus, I led the Lincoln Group of DC contingent laying a wreath in Lincoln’s honor.
More on the event here: https://www.lincolnian.org/post/a-lincoln-215-and-counting
Finally! The long-delayed renovations to the Lincoln Memorial are about to start. My colleague in the Lincoln Group of DC, Ed Epstein, reported on the official U.S. National Park Service announcement this morning. Writing on the Lincolnian.org blog, Epstein notes:
The National Park Service in coming weeks will finally start work on long discussed and long- delayed work to vastly expand visitor space under Washington’s landmark Lincoln Memorial, by far the most visited of the capital city’s many monuments and memorials.
Most of the century-old memorial will remain open during the work, which is expected to last at least four years, the Park Service said in unveiling news of the project’s kickoff. The project was originally announced in 2016, with an $18.6 million donation from billionaire David Rubenstein, a philanthropist who has played a major role in several ventures involving historical preservation in Washington, including paying $7.5 million for repairing the Washington Memorial after a 2010 earthquake. Among other projects, he also bought an original copy of the Magna Carta from 1297 for $21.3 million and has lent it to the National Archives to put on display.
The current visitors center in the Lincoln Memorial’s basement, or undercroft, is 800 square feet. That will grow to 15,000 square feet. The project will also include new restrooms, a larger bookstore and elevator replacement work. The current bookstore is in a cramped space off the northeast corner of the memorial’s main chamber, not far from where the words of Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address are carved into the wall.
The Park Service said the new visitors center will feature ceiling-to-floor glass walls that will offer a view of some of the undercroft’s arched supports, which were sunk deep into the marshy land on which the memorial was built to provide support for the massive 38,000-ton granite and marble structure. The latest trends in museum design will include an “immersive theater presentation” that will flash images of the many historic events that have taken place at the memorial onto the foundations.
Displays will explain the epic construction of the memorial and talk about how the Lincoln Memorial became the site of major civil rights demonstrations, most notably the August 1963 march on Washington, at which the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his “I have a dream” speech before a crowd of a few hundred thousand people.
“We’re essentially building a modern glass structure inside this historic space,” said Jeffrey Reinbold, superintendent of the park service’s National Mall and Memorial Parks. In an interview with the Washington Post, he added, “And all of the challenges of how visitors would move throughout the space, interact with this historic space … took a little longer than we expected” to plan.
The work is supposed to finish in 2026, in time for the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence on July 4th. But given the vagaries of construction work, that could be optimistic.
Go here to read the full article by Ed Epstein on the Lincolnian.org website.
This is exciting news, and the Lincoln Group of DC will keep everyone up to date as the project progresses.
Meanwhile, my tour celebrating the release of Lincoln: The Fire of Genius continues with upcoming presentations at the Abraham Lincoln Institute’s annual symposium at Ford’s Theatre in March and the Lincoln Society of Peekskill’s annual banquet in April. You can catch any or all of the interviews and presentations I’ve done for Lincoln: The Fire of Genius. Just scroll through my Media page for events with President Lincoln’s Cottage, the Abraham Lincoln Looking for Lincoln program, my interview on The Pat Williams Show (founder of the Orlando Magic basketball team), the Our American Stories radio program, and much more. Plus, check out upcoming events.
[Photo by David J. Kent, February 12, 2023, at the annual wreath laying ceremony for Lincoln’s birthday]
Lincoln: The Fire of Genius: How Abraham Lincoln’s Commitment to Science and Technology Helped Modernize America is available at booksellers nationwide.
Limited signed copies are available via this website. The book also listed on Goodreads, the database where I keep track of my reading. Click on the “Want to Read” button to put it on your reading list. Please leave a review on Goodreads and Amazon if you like the book.
You also follow my author page on Facebook.
David J. Kent is President of the Lincoln Group of DC and the author of Lincoln: The Fire of Genius: How Abraham Lincoln’s Commitment to Science and Technology Helped Modernize America and Lincoln: The Man Who Saved America.
His previous books include Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity and Edison: The Inventor of the Modern World and two specialty e-books: Nikola Tesla: Renewable Energy Ahead of Its Time and Abraham Lincoln and Nikola Tesla: Connected by Fate.
Back in mid-July, I was happy to report that the Lincoln Group of DC was going back to live, in-person, programming. What a difference a couple of months makes. As readers will already have seen, our October meeting with Ron White, originally planned as a big in-person luncheon shindig complete with special surprises, is not going to happen. Ron has rightfully reconsidered his travel to the east coast because of the pandemic. Instead, Ron will give us a virtual presentation on October 19th.
While we expected the COVID pandemic to have weakened as people received the free and easy to obtain vaccines, the reality is that too many people remain unvaccinated. Because of that, COVID cases have again increased.
This fact has led the Lincoln Group Board to reevaluate our plans. As of now, the Lincoln Group will continue with virtual, Zoom-based lecture meetings for the rest of this year [See details below]. We are scheduled for our annual joint, in-person, meeting with the Civil War Roundtable of the District of Columbia (CWRTDC) in February 2022. That is now expected to be our first in-person meeting. If pandemic conditions allow, we will continue with in-person meetings after that time.
The situation remains fluid, so we appreciate your patience. Please keep checking back to our Lincolnian.org website for updates.
The switch to Zoom-based virtual meetings does have its advantages. There are two huge benefits of going virtual:
We could reach our members now spread across the United States
We could attract stellar speakers previously unavailable to us because of the costs of distance or scheduling limitations
But we also miss our live social interactions. As we move forward, we plan to continue with a schedule of both virtual and in-person meetings. Both take time and finances to undertake, and donations and volunteers are always welcome. Your support is critical to the continuing, and expanding, role of the Lincoln Group of DC (including plans for a Lincoln Memorial Centennial event in May 2022). [There’s a “Donate” button on the top right of this page. Any amount is appreciated. Feel free to make it a continuing donation.]
So as of now, here is our expected schedule of events. Put them on your calendar!
September 21: James Oakes on The Crooked Path to Abolition [Zoom – RSVP here]
September 25: Our Annual Tour and Picnic Returns! See this post for details!
October 19: Ron White on Lincoln in Private [Zoom – RSVP here]
November 14-19: We’ll see you at the Lincoln Forum in Gettysburg!
December 7: Was Lincoln Audacious, or Cautious? A special Zoom event where the Lincoln Group will debate Lincoln’s modus operandi.
January 2022: To be determined [Zoom]
February 2022: Joint meeting with the CWRTDC featuring Allen Guelzo and Michael Burlingame! [Expected to be In-Person]
March 2022: Abraham Lincoln Institute Symposium at Ford’s Theatre [In-Person]
April 2022: To be determined [In-Person, Maggiano’s]
May 2022: Lincoln Memorial Centennial commemoration with the National Park Service on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial
September 2022: Book Launch Party!
We hope to add some additional special events, so keep checking back here!
David Kent is the author of Lincoln: The Man Who Saved America (Fall River Press: New York, 2017) and is the president of the Lincoln Group of the District of Columbia (ed).
[Originally published on Lincolnian.org]
David J. Kent is an avid science traveler and the author of Lincoln: The Man Who Saved America, in Barnes and Noble stores now. His previous books include Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity and Edison: The Inventor of the Modern World and two specialty e-books: Nikola Tesla: Renewable Energy Ahead of Its Time and Abraham Lincoln and Nikola Tesla: Connected by Fate.
Check out my Goodreads author page. While you’re at it, “Like” my Facebook author page for more updates!
The Lincoln Group of the District of Columbia, aka the Lincoln Group of DC, aka the Lincoln Group, aka LGDC, has a new website! Here’s a preview (see below the photo for more):
Our new URL is https://www.lincolnian.org/
The old Lincoln Group of DC website served us well for many years, but advancements in website technology led to a much needed change. Many thanks to former LGDC president and long-time website guru Karen Needles for building and maintaining the old website. Outgoing LGDC president John O’Brien took responsibility for finding an outside website developer, making the sometimes-painstaking transition from our old to the new provider, and maintaining the superstructure of the new Wix-based site. The result is a beautiful visual upgrade. We’re still transitioning the “members only” functions to the new site, so please have a bit more patience until the site is fully functional, but do take advantage of some of the new features.
Our biggest change – besides the obvious visual interface – is the addition of a Lincoln News Blog (“News” on the menu bar). We’ll have news about what the Lincoln Group is doing, about what is happening with Lincoln in the DC area, and important Lincoln news from around the country. It’s well worth checking out daily to keep up on new events.
Another feature is our Study Forum page (“Study Forum” on the menu bar). For many years we’ve had a book discussion group that meets on Saturday morning once a month at the Ford’s Theatre Center for Education and Leadership directly across the street from the historic Ford’s Theatre (where Lincoln was shot) and next door to the Petersen House (where Lincoln died). That book discussion group has evolved into a study group for all things Lincoln, although we still focus on a book as our vehicle for that study. We’ve moved online via Zoom during the past pandemic year, which has allowed Lincoln Group members who live outside the DC area to join us.
Another important section of the new website is the Events page (“Events” on the menu bar). You’ll find brief highlights and bios of upcoming speakers and other events organized by the Lincoln Group. We’ve continued our monthly “dinner” meetings (previously held at Maggiano’s restaurant in the Friendship Heights area of DC) via a series of monthly Zoom meetings. Lincoln Group members have also been featured in events sponsored by the Cosmos Club, the Illinois State Society, the New York Avenue Presbyterian Church, and other venues. We’ll continue to work with other Lincoln organizations like ALI, Ford’s Theatre, President Lincoln’s Cottage, the Library of Congress, and the National Archives on future events. We’ve done so much and have plans to do much more, including participating in the Lincoln Memorial Centennial commemorations scheduled for May 2022.
There is much more to see on the new Lincolnian.org website, so click on over and take a look around. And check back regularly for News and other important updates.
One more thing. In a few days I will be taking over as the new president of the Lincoln Group of DC. Our outgoing president, John O’Brien, has done a superhuman job “herding cats” (as one Lincoln Group Board member put it) for the last three years. His guidance and fortitude was especially needed during this past “Year of the COVID.” I’ll have big shoes to fill, but luckily for me and the Lincoln Group, John will be keeping touch with us from “the other DC” (aka, Denver, Colorado). So take a moment to thank John for his leadership. I am personally indebted to him and hope to carry on in his image.
David J. Kent is the author of Lincoln: The Man Who Saved America. His newest Lincoln book is scheduled for release in February 2022. His previous books include Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity and Edison: The Inventor of the Modern World and two specialty e-books: Nikola Tesla: Renewable Energy Ahead of Its Time and Abraham Lincoln and Nikola Tesla: Connected by Fate.
Follow me for updates on my Facebook author page and Goodreads.
The Lincoln Group of the District of Columbia is an incredibly active group supporting the study and dissemination of information on the 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln. Regularly chosen as the most admired and best President in national polls, with both current major political parties claiming the mantle of Lincoln.
Which is why on this #GivingTuesday I’m raising money on Facebook for The Lincoln Group of the District of Columbia and your contribution will make an impact, whether you donate $5 or $500. Every little bit helps. And on GivingTuesday Dec 3, Facebook will match a total of $7 million in donations first come, first served.
You can donate via this link. Thank you for your support.
The Lincoln Group brings in noted Abraham Lincoln scholars to present on their work. The Group also sponsors public events at the National Archives and Ford’s Theatre, tours of local Civil War battlefields and Lincoln sites, and helps fund scholarships for teachers to learn about how best to teach Lincoln and the Civil War to their students. We’re currently planning a program to fund student participation in educational events.
Today, in fact, I’m attending a lecture by the world’s foremost expert on the Lincoln assassination, Dr. Ed Steers. He’ll be talking about “Getting Right With Lincoln: Challenging Misconceptions About Our Greatest President.” If you’re in Washington, DC this morning, come on up to the Friendship Heights Metro stop and join us.
More on the Lincoln Group of the District of Columbia FB page and website: http://lincolngroup.org/
David J. Kent is an avid science traveler and the author of Lincoln: The Man Who Saved America, in Barnes and Noble stores now. His previous books include Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity and Edison: The Inventor of the Modern World and two specialty e-books: Nikola Tesla: Renewable Energy Ahead of Its Time and Abraham Lincoln and Nikola Tesla: Connected by Fate.
Check out my Goodreads author page. While you’re at it, “Like” my Facebook author page for more updates!
It’s official. The room once used by Abraham Lincoln has been designated the Lincoln Room by House Resolution 1063. It’s a fitting tribute both to the 16th President of the United States and to Past-President of the Lincoln Group of DC, John Elliff. I was privileged to attend the dedication ceremony on May 1, 2019 in Statuary Hall of the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, D.C.
The road to the dedication is a long one, from one former president to another. Currently Room H-226 in the U.S. Capitol, the space was the House post office during the time that Abraham Lincoln served his single term as a U.S. Congressman from Illinois. The House chambers then are now Statuary Hall, where visitors can see the statues from each of the 50 states (two for each state). A small metal plate in the floor designates where Lincoln’s desk was as a Congressman, way in the back of the hall. Behind it is a door that led to the post office. Today that room is in the rear of the suite designated for the House Majority Whip, currently Representative James Clyburn of South Carolina.
Lincoln would spend many hours between votes and debates in the post office. Representatives didn’t have offices or staffs then, so the post office was a good place to discuss issues of the day and trade stories and jokes.
Flash forward to the present. In 2014 I attended a special ceremony in Statuary Hall celebrating the 150th anniversary of Lincoln’s second inaugural. Congressman Rodney Davis, who serves in part of what had been Lincoln’s district, took me into the room then occupied by Steve Scalise, who had set aside the old post office room as an unofficial tribute to Abraham Lincoln.
John Elliff also was at that ceremony. As President of the Lincoln Group of DC he recognized that Rep. Scalise’s unofficial designation might not hold after the results of the 2016 election changed party leadership of the House (much like Lincoln pushing for the 13th Amendment to codify the gains made in the Emancipation Proclamation). After finishing his presidential term in spring 2018, John began working in earnest to convince Congress to officially designate the room as the Lincoln Room.
In August 2018, John Elliff suddenly and tragically passed away. By then he had received commitments from several members of Congress to pass a resolution. The Lincoln Group of DC, the Illinois State Society, and the Abraham Lincoln Association of Springfield, Illinois (and its president, former Lincoln Group of DC officer Bob Willard) all engaged with Congress to support the permanent designation of the Lincoln Room.
Near the end of the 115th Congress, Representatives Darin LaHood and Raja Krishnamoorthi co-sponsored a bipartisan resolution to officially designate the Lincoln Room. It passed and the room was formally dedicated this week. Representatives LaHood and Krishnamoorthi, Lincoln Group of DC President John O’Brien, Illinois State Society President Jerry Weller, and John Elliff’s wife Linda all spoke at the dedication. About 50 proud members of the three organizations attended the event in Statuary Hall and toured the Lincoln Room.
As Representative LaHood noted during the dedication, this resolution and designation would not have been possible without the tireless work of John Elliff and the support of these Lincoln and Illinois organizations.
For me personally this was a fitting tribute to the man who became my Lincoln mentor, John Elliff, as well as to Abraham Lincoln himself. As I wrote in my tribute post last August, John was, as fellow friend and Lincoln scholar Bob Willard noted, “Lincolnian in character – honest, smart, hard-working, empathetic, curious.” Everyone in the Lincoln Group of DC appreciated these characteristics. He was a true leader.
And now he will be forever linked with his own political mentor, Abraham Lincoln. Thank you John, Linda, Bob, Jerry, Representatives LaHood and Krishnamoorthi, and all the members of each of the organizations that made the Lincoln Room happen. See the slideshow below for some photos of the event.
David J. Kent is an avid science traveler and the author of Lincoln: The Man Who Saved America, in Barnes and Noble stores now. His previous books include Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity (2013) and Edison: The Inventor of the Modern World (2016) and two e-books: Nikola Tesla: Renewable Energy Ahead of Its Time and Abraham Lincoln and Nikola Tesla: Connected by Fate.
Check out my Goodreads author page. While you’re at it, “Like” my Facebook author page for more updates!
I’m happy to be a part of sponsoring a once in a lifetime special event. On the evening of April 16, 2019 there will be a triple header at the National Archives. You’ll be able to see the original Emancipation Proclamation, see an All-Star Panel discuss the Proclamation and DC Emancipation Day, plus be entertained by the Artists Group Chorale of Washington. And it’s all FREE.
Attendees will be invited to a private viewing of the original Emancipation Proclamation AND DC Compensated Emancipation Act documents beginning at 6 pm. Both documents are signed by Abraham Lincoln. This is a special event. Because of the fragility of these original documents, they are only on display for a short period of time and we’ll have a privileged viewing.
While viewing we’ll be serenaded by the Artists Group Chorale.
At 6:45 pm we will move down to the main auditorium in the McGowan Theater for another song from the Chorale, followed by a discussion of both documents by learned scholars. Moderated by Howard University Professor and leading Abraham Lincoln scholar Edna Greene Medford, the panel includes C.R. Gibbs, Roger Davidson, and Elizabeth Clark-Lewis.
After their on-stage discussion, the microphones will be opened up for audience questions and comments.
This is a rare event and the Lincoln Group of the District of Columbia is pleased to be co-sponsoring with the National Archives and the Government of the District of Columbia.
Free registration is suggested to ensure space in the auditorium, but not required. The National Archives is located across the street from the Archives Metro Station between Pennsylvania and Constitution Avenues in downtown Washington, D.C.
Please join us for this wonderful event.
David J. Kent is an avid science traveler and the author of Lincoln: The Man Who Saved America, in Barnes and Noble stores now. His previous books include Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity (2013) and Edison: The Inventor of the Modern World (2016) and two e-books: Nikola Tesla: Renewable Energy Ahead of Its Time and Abraham Lincoln and Nikola Tesla: Connected by Fate.
Check out my Goodreads author page. While you’re at it, “Like” my Facebook author page for more updates!
Today is Abraham Lincoln’s birthday! Born in 1809, this year would have been Lincoln’s 210th birthday. And as is customary, there is a wreath laying at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.
I’ve been privileged to represent the Lincoln Group of DC for the last three years to lay our wreath, which joins wreaths from other Lincoln organizations across the nation. Someone else will have those duties this year because of my travel schedule, but it’s an honor I’ll never forget.
Joining me in the video is Wendy Swanson, the editor of the Lincolnian newsletter for the Lincoln Group of DC.
If you aren’t already a member, please consider joining the Lincoln Group of DC. We have members all over the country. For those who are local to the District of Columbia, we have monthly dinner meetings featuring well-known authors and Lincoln scholars, run at least one Civil War battlefield tour a year, have an engaging monthly book study group, and a host of other events and meetings. The Lincolnian newsletter comes out quarterly and includes news about the group as well as scholarly articles about Abraham Lincoln.
Check out the website at http://lincolngroup.org/
Pre-order Lincoln: The Fire of Genius now on Amazon and Barnes and Noble (click on the respective links to pre-order). The price is likely to drop before the final shipment, and any pre-orders will automatically get charged the lower price at fulfillment. Pre-ordering now helps the publisher get a sense of the interest, which could mean a bigger print run. So please go ahead and pre-order without worries. While you’re there, check out my other books.
The book is also listed on Goodreads, the database where I keep track of my reading. Click on the “Want to Read” button to put it on your reading list. That will also ensure you get informed of the release date AND will let you try for one of ten free hardcover copies of the book that I’ll be giving away this summer. I’ll also be giving away as many as a hundred e-books. [The book will also be put out on audio]
You also follow my author page on Facebook.
I’ll have much more about the book over the next few months, so join my mailing list here to keep informed.
David J. Kent is President of the Lincoln Group of DC and the author of Lincoln: The Man Who Saved America. His previous books include Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity and Edison: The Inventor of the Modern World and two specialty e-books: Nikola Tesla: Renewable Energy Ahead of Its Time and Abraham Lincoln and Nikola Tesla: Connected by Fate.
Check out my Goodreads author page. While you’re at it, “Like” my Facebook author page for more updates!
It is with deep regret that I mark the sudden passing of John Elliff. John was an Abraham Lincoln scholar and in many ways my mentor in the Lincoln field.
I first met John only in January 2012 but I feel I’ve known him much longer. I was attending my first meeting as a new member of the Lincoln Group of DC and John was one of the first people I met. I fondly recall him standing up to announce that he was reading Bill O’Reilly’s then new book Killing Lincoln “so we don’t have to.” [The book is poorly researched and contains many factual errors] In that one sentence, John displayed both his intellectual fortitude and his good humor.
As the years have passed since then it was John who encouraged me to become more active in the Lincoln Group of DC. I joined the Lincoln Group’s book discussion club because of John, and it was John’s inspiration that led to me becoming a member of the Lincoln Group board. Through these years I marveled at John’s incredible command of facts, understanding, and insight into Abraham Lincoln’s life. No matter what aspect of Lincoln we were discussing we could always count on John to have knowledge that would expand our understanding. I looked up to John’s leadership and I knew that everyone else in the group did as well.
John was also a leader in other Lincoln groups as a board member of the Abraham Lincoln Association based in his native Illinois, the Lincoln Forum, the Illinois State Society, and as a volunteer docent at Ford’s Theatre. He was a dominant presence at our monthly Lincoln Group of DC book club and only a few months ago finished his two-year term as President of the Lincoln Group of DC after many years in other leadership roles. All the while he was, as fellow friend and Lincoln scholar Bob Willard noted, “Lincolnian in character – honest, smart, hard-working, empathetic, curious.” Everyone in the Lincoln Group of DC appreciated these characteristics. He was a true leader.
My heart reaches out to John’s family, especially to Linda, whom I’ve known and cherished since that first day I met John. I am a better person and Lincoln scholar because of John Elliff. May he rest in peace and the knowledge that he has inspired so many others. He is, and will always be, deeply missed.
The family has asked that in lieu of flowers, people consider making a donation to the Lincoln Group of DC.
David J. Kent is an avid science traveler and the author of Lincoln: The Man Who Saved America, in Barnes and Noble stores now. His previous books include Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity (2013) and Edison: The Inventor of the Modern World (2016) and two e-books: Nikola Tesla: Renewable Energy Ahead of Its Time and Abraham Lincoln and Nikola Tesla: Connected by Fate.
Check out my Goodreads author page. While you’re at it, “Like” my Facebook author page for more updates!
Last week was a busy week for Abraham Lincoln activities and the fun continues this week. I’m looking forward to Thursday, February 22nd at the National Archives for a once-in-a-lifetime meeting of Abraham Lincoln, Stephen A. Douglas, and Frederick Douglass. And if seeing these three men in person wasn’t enough, it’s a free event!
The Lincoln-Douglas(s) Debates: Known and Unknown
Date: Thursday, February 22, 2018
Time: 7:00 pm
Location: William G. McGowan Theater, Washington, DC
Join us for an unusual and lively performance featuring Abraham Lincoln (portrayed by George Buss) and political opponent Stephen A. Douglas (portrayed by Tim Connors) as they look back to their famous debates over slavery and equality in the 1858 U.S. Senate campaign in Illinois. Following the first debate, we will present the “Unknown Lincoln-Douglass,” an “imagining” of a debate between Lincoln (portrayed by George Buss) and Frederick Douglass (portrayed by Phil Darius Wallace). Though they met at the White House several times, Abraham Lincoln and African-American leader Frederick Douglass never publicly argued the crucial issues of slavery, freedom, and racial justice. 
This is the Lincoln-Douglass debate that never happened—using words from their actual correspondence and commentary. Historian Harold Holzer will moderate and bring Lincoln and Douglass face-to-face for an unprecedented confrontation.
More information and how to register in advance: http://www.lincolngroup.org/feb2018b.html
This event will only happen once. Do not miss it!
David J. Kent is an avid science traveler and the author of Lincoln: The Man Who Saved America, now available. His previous books include Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity and Edison: The Inventor of the Modern World (both Fall River Press). He has also written two e-books: Nikola Tesla: Renewable Energy Ahead of Its Time and Abraham Lincoln and Nikola Tesla: Connected by Fate.
Check out my Goodreads author page. While you’re at it, “Like” my Facebook author page for more updates!
Follow me by subscribing by email on the home page. Share with your friends using the buttons below.
Abraham Lincoln Historian, Scientist, Traveler
Click book for immediate download on Amazon.com
Click book for immediate download on Amazon.com
