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 The group will meet every two months for discussions of books,
movies and museum exhibits related to Illinois history. Topics on
the schedule right now include an exhibit of historic Springfield
photographs, the book “Eight Men Out” about the Chicago Black Sox,
and a documentary about labor organizer Mother Jones. (The full
schedule is below.)
“We’re excited to offer a new forum for folks to get together and
explore Illinois’ rich history,” said Alan Lowe, executive director
of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum. “From Native
American mound builders to modern architecture to, of course,
Abraham Lincoln, this group will have plenty to talk about.”
The first of these free events will discuss “Lincoln’s Springfield
Neighborhood” by Bonnie E. Paul and Richard E. Hart. With its lively
writing and attention to detail, the book transports readers back to
the neighborhood around Lincoln’s home. It describes the people who
lived there, the way they lived and how they interacted with the
Lincolns.
 The event will be moderated by the book’s co-author, Hart. It takes
place at noon in the multi-purpose room of the presidential library,
112 N. Sixth Street, Springfield.
The new discussion group grows out of a book club that has met at
the presidential library for several years.
“As the bicentennial of statehood approaches, we want to give folks
an opportunity to learn more about the history of Illinois,” said
State Historian Samuel Wheeler. “You don’t need to be a trained
historian to participate. Anyone with a genuine interest in the
history of our state will be welcomed into the group.”
The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, a division of
the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency, is dedicated to telling
the story of America’s 16th president through old-fashioned
scholarship and modern technology.
The library holds an unparalleled collection of Lincoln books,
documents, photographs, artifacts and art, as well as some 12
million items pertaining to all aspects of Illinois history. The
museum uses traditional exhibits, eye-catching special effects and
innovative story-telling techniques to educate visitors.
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Schedule for 2017:
January 12
Topic: Lincoln
Book: Bonnie E. Paull & Richard E. Hart, Lincoln’s Springfield Neighborhood
Moderator: Richard Hart (Abraham Lincoln Association/Iles House)
March 9
Topic: Springfield
Exhibit: Shifting Sands: Springfield’s Architectural Legacy (Springfield Art
Association)
Moderator: Erika Holst (Edwards Place/Springfield Art Association) and Curtis
Mann (Sangamon Valley Collection).
Note: This meeting will be held at the Springfield Art Association (700 N. 4th
Street)
May 11
Topic: Baseball/Chicago
Book: Eliot Asinof, Eight Men Out
Moderator: Bob Sampson (Millikin University)
July 13
Topic: Edgar Lee Masters
Book: Spoon River Anthology
Moderator: John W. Hallwas (Western Illinois University)
September 14
Topic: Mother Jones
Film: Mother Jones: America’s Most Dangerous Woman
Moderator: Devin Hunter (University of Illinois Springfield)
November 9
Topic: Early Illinois / Bicentennial
Book: John Reda, From Furs to Farms: The Transformation of the Mississippi
Valley, 1762-1825
Moderator: John Reda (Illinois State University)
[Shanta Thoele
Executive Secretary
Illinois Historic Preservation Agency
Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library]
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-Lincoln-IL/2831225863)
