By Staff Reporter, Philip Winterstein.
The Delta College library is currently displaying an exhibit of Abraham Lincoln called ‘Lincoln: the Constitution and the Civil War’. Celebrating America’s sixteenth president, ‘Lincoln’ is a part of a traveling exhibition which is being organized and hosted by the National Constitution Center as well as the American Library Association Public Programs Office, and is being funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
The ‘Lincoln’ exhibit is located in the back of the Delta College library (A-110), and consists of five large displays in the center of the room. The displays are labeled ‘Lincoln’, ‘Divided’, ‘Bound’, ‘Dissent’, and ‘Endures’, and in that order, they introduce Abraham Lincoln, discuss Southern Secession, Slavery, and Civil Liberties during war, and examines the impact that Lincoln had on America during these times. ‘Divided’, ‘Bound’, and ‘Dissent’ ask vital questions like “Was the ‘United States’ one nation, or a confederacy of sovereign and separate states?” or “How could a country [like America] tolerate slavery?” or “In a national crisis, would civil liberties be secure?”
The displays in the exhibit also delve into detail about various well-known documents and public addresses of Lincoln such as the Emancipation Proclamation, the Thirteenth Amendment, and the Gettysburg Address.
“The feedback has been excellent so far,” said Reference Librarian Anne Elias. “Many of the students have left positive feedback.”
In addition to the displays in the library, Delta College is holding various events in conjunction with the exhibit. These events include Dr. Michael Burlingame will be speaking about his book, ‘Abraham Lincoln: A Life’, for Delta College’s President’s Speaker Series. The event will occur on Oct. 20 at 7 P.M. in the Delta College Lecture theater. Also, there will be a reenactment of excerpts between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas, a showing of the 2012 film ‘Lincoln’ hosted by the Student Engagement Department, and even a Lincoln ‘Look-Alike’ Contest.
The exhibit will end Oct. 31.
For more information about the exhibit ‘Lincoln: the Constitution and the Civil War’, contact Librarian Anne Elias at anneelias@delta.edu.
