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 “From Illinois to the White House: Lincoln, Grant,
Reagan, Obama” opens Friday, March 23, and runs for the rest of the
year. It will examine the connections of those four presidents to
Illinois, their achievements as politicians and communicators, and
the first ladies who helped them succeed.
Visitors can see rare artifacts gathered from institutions across
the country, including:
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the
table where Lee surrendered to Ulysses S. Grant in the Civil War
-
the
note cards Ronald Reagan used in his “Tear Down This Wall”
speech
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the
Grammy that Barack Obama won for the audio-book version of
“Dreams from My Father”
-
the
Bible on which Grant’s head rested after his death
-
a
love letter from Reagan to his wife Nancy
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Obama’s notes from his “Bloody Sunday” speech in Selma
And, of
course, the Lincoln Presidential Library will display fascinating
Lincoln items such as the last axe he ever used, his briefcase and
his ink well and pen.
“This
nation would be much different today without the contributions of
these four presidents, and they in turn would have been much
different without Illinois’ influence on their characters and
careers,” said Alan Lowe, executive director of the Abraham Lincoln
Presidential Library and Museum. “The state’s 200th birthday is the
perfect time for people to get to know these fascinating leaders.”
“From
Illinois to the White House” is presented with the generous support
of PNC Bank and the John Ullrich Foundation.
Visitors get to see unfamiliar sides of the presidents. They’ll
learn about Grant being so down on his luck that he had to pawn his
watch and about Lincoln using his wrestling skills to win respect in
a new community. They’ll see Obama about to start his first job as a
lawyer and Reagan as a boy moving from town to town.
Visitors
also get the chance to answer presidential trivia questions or pose
for pictures behind a presidential lectern as they deliver the
Gettysburg Address from a teleprompter.
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The exhibit includes the state’s very first constitution, on loan
from the Illinois State Archives.
“The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum is helping with many
Bicentennial initiatives, but this exhibit is the library’s biggest and most
important contribution,” said Stuart Layne, Executive Director - Governor’s
Office of the Bicentennial. “‘From Illinois to the White House’ will be the
preeminent exhibit of the state’s Bicentennial Celebration.”
The exhibit is presented in the ALPLM’s Illinois Gallery, a space dedicated to
rotating exhibits on state history. There will be no extra fee to see “From
Illinois to the White House: Lincoln, Grant, Reagan, Obama.” It is provided as
part of regular admission to the Lincoln museum (212 N. 6th Street,
Springfield).
It will be accompanied by special programming, such as presentations on Reagan’s
near-assassination and on the first ladies. Teachers can use the exhibit to help
students learn history by choosing from three different lesson plans or
attending a special workshop.
The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum 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. The museum uses traditional exhibits,
eye-catching special effects and innovative story-telling techniques to educate
visitors. It also has some 12 million items pertaining to all aspects of
Illinois history.
For more information, visit
www.presidentlincoln.illinois.gov
“From Illinois to the White House: Lincoln, Grant, Reagan, Obama” is part of the
state’s official bicentennial celebration.
ABOUT ILLINOIS BICENTENNIAL
On Dec. 3, 1818, Illinois became the 21st state in the union. The Illinois
Bicentennial is a yearlong celebration of what has been BORN, BUILT & GROWN in
the state and a reminder of why we are #IllinoisProud.
Citizens are encouraged to participate in the celebration by visiting
www.illinois200.com and using the hashtag #IllinoisProud. Partners and event and
project managers planning activities between Dec. 3, 2017, and Dec. 3, 2018, can
apply for endorsement to become an official part of Illinois Bicentennial by
visiting the site’s PARTICIPATE page.
[Christopher Wills] |
