Spring Symposium - Lincoln's Washington

Lincoln's Washington: Abraham Lincoln in Congress and the Presidency"

May was quite a busy month for the Society, with what seemed like an event almost every other day! A belated thanks for all who stopped by the Friday, May 1, Symposium, “Lincoln’s Washington: Abraham Lincoln in Congress and the Presidency.” We had a great crowd and C-SPAN coverage--which is due to air on C-SPAN 3 this SATURDAY, JUNE 6 from 1-3 p.m. The speakers were uniformly great and everyone enjoyed the reception at the end of the day.

Scholars from universities and institutions around the country spoke on diverse topics, from general information about the period (Paul Finkelman, Albany Law School) to Lincoln’s brief Congressional career (Amy Greenberg, Penn State University) to home life in the White House during the Civil War (Jean Baker, Goucher College). Christine Dee’s argument about the ways that Lincoln’s surroundings influenced his speeches and writings initiated some vigorous debate amongst audience members.

If you missed the event, catch up on C-SPAN 3; the conference’s morning sessions are scheduled to air Saturday, June 6 from 1-3 pm. Eventually, we’ll have videos of most of the speakers available on our website too. Check the website for upcoming events too—right now, we’re planning our popular August Brown Bag lunchtime series. Each August Wednesday at noon, audience members munch on lunch while speakers discuss their latest books, discourse on historical topics, or tell stories about their time working in the Capitol. If you have any suggestions for topics, email us at uschs@uschs.org.

For hotel not far from the downtown DC area is the Comfort Inn Gunston Corner located in Lorton, VA. For reservations, call the hotel directly at (703) 643-3100 or book online at www.cigunston.com.