11/17/25
Join award-winning WGBH and BET producer Chris Hastings (left) and Oscar and Emmy-award-winning documentary producer Louise Rosen (center) on Monday, November 17, 2025, at 6 p.m. CT for a conversation on the ethics of AI in documentary filmmaking, moderated by Jason Steinhauer (right), founder of the History Communications Institute.
11/10/25
Join award-winning filmmaker Patrick Wimp on Monday, November 10, 2025 at 6 p.m. CT, to learn about how a documentary goes from an idea to research, writing, storyboarding, and final edit.
11/05/25
Join us on Wednesday, November 5, 2025, at 7 p.m. CT, for a great conversation with Dr. Jonathan White and Dr. Lucas Morel on their recently released book Measuring the Man: The Writings of Frederick Douglass on Abraham Lincoln.
10/09/25
Join us on Thursday, October 9th, from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m., for a conversation with author Dr. Saladin Ambar on his latest book Murder on the Mississippi.
09/23/25
Join our guest moderator, Dr. Christian McWhirter, on Tuesday, September 23, 2025, for an enlightening discussion with author and historian Dr. George C. Rable on his latest book, Conflict of Command: George McClellan, Abraham Lincoln, and the Politics of War.
08/12/25
Join Lincoln Presidential Foundation and Lincoln Home National Historic Site, Tuesday, August 12th, for a Rosenwald Exhibit project update!
Starting 06/19/25 through 07/04/25
Starting #CivicSeason is here! We are proud to partner with Made By Us, The New York Historical, and history museums across the country for “On Our 250th.” Starting Juneteenth, through July 4th, you can find an in-person “Wish Wall” at the Lincoln Home NHS and at other institutions across the country!
07/01/25
Join Union Pacific Railroad and Lincoln Presidential Foundation on Tuesday, July 1st, from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., for a celebration of President Abraham Lincoln and the railroad’s new commemorative locomotive, No. 1616.
06/22/25
We’re excited to present the first-ever premiere of the Latest Generation Film Contest featuring young filmmakers and their powerful short "On This Land" documentaries.
through 06/13/25
Items from the Lincoln Presidential Foundation collection are currently on display at Lincoln Home NHS for their exhibit on Osborn Oldroyd, a Civil War veteran, former caretaker of Lincoln Home, and collector of Lincolniana.
05/13/25
Join us Tuesday, May 13, 2025, at 7 p.m. CT, for an enlightening discussion with author Dr. Frank W. Garmon on his latest book A Wonderful Career in Crime: Charles Cowlam’s Masquerades in the Civil War Era and Gilded Age.
04/21/25
The Lincoln Presidential Foundation presented legendary actor Sam Waterston with the prestigious 2025 Lincoln Leadership Prize and U.S. Senator Dick Durbin with the 2025 "Charity for All" award in Chicago on Monday, April 21, 2025.
04/03/25
Join us Thursday, April 3rd for a presentation and discussion with author and photographer David B. Wiegers on women sculptors as featured in his article, "Wildfire, Miss Clampitt, and the Wonder Girl from the West: Early Women Sculptors of Abraham Lincoln.
03/06/25
Join us Thursday, March 6, 2025, at 7 p.m. CT, for a lively discussion with Dr. Yael Sternhell on her latest book War on Record: The Archive and the Afterlife of the Civil War.
Deadline January 31, 2025
Submit a 5-8 minute short film by January 31, 2025 with the theme “On This Land.” This contest encouraged youth filmmakers to explore and share stories rooted in their local geography, history, and culture.
02/06/25
Join us Thursday, February 6, 2025, at 7 p.m. CT, for a great conversation with author Dr. Jonathan White on his recently released book A Great and Good Man: Rare, First-Hand Accounts and Observations of Abraham Lincoln, co-edited with William J. Griffing.
01/15/25
Join us Wednesday, January 15th for a lively discussion with author Dr. Cecily N. Zander on her latest book The Army under Fire: The Politics of Antimilitarism in the Civil War Era.
12/04/24
Join us Wednesday, December 4, 2024, at 7 p.m. CT for an enlightening conversation with author Megan Gorman on her book All the Presidents’ Money.
11/14/24
Join us Thursday, November 14, 2024, at 7 p.m. CT, for an impassioned discussion of Chorus of the Union: How Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas Set Aside Their Rivalry to Save the Nation with author Edward ‘Ted’ McClelland.
11/13/24
Join us for our Latest Generation Mentor Session featuring award-winning filmmakers from Detroit PBS as part of our filmmaking challenge for aspiring filmmakers in the Midwest ages 14-22.
10/26/24
Join us Saturday, October 26, 11 a.m-12:30 p.m. CT, for our Latest Generation Mentor Session featuring award-winning filmmakers from Twin Cities PBS as part of our filmmaking challenge for aspiring filmmakers in the Midwest ages 14-22.
10/15/24
Join us Tuesday, October 15, 2024, for this engaging online mentor session as acclaimed filmmakers Stacy Robinson and Rita Coburn share their unique approaches to bringing the past to life, highlighting how personal stories intertwine with the larger historical forces at play.
10/10/24
Join us Thursday, October 10, 2024, at 7 p.m. CT, for a great discussion with author and Lincoln expert Dr. Allen C. Guelzo about his latest book, Our Ancient Faith: Lincoln, Democracy, and the American Experiment.
10/03/24
Join us Thursday, October 3, 6:00-7:00 PM CT, for our second Latest Generation Professional Development Session featuring documentary filmmaker Liliane Calfee from DePaul University and veteran educator Laura Rosenberg.
10/01/24
Join us for our first Latest Generation Professional Development Session featuring documentary filmmaker Liliane Calfee from DePaul University and veteran educator Laura Rosenberg.
09/25/24
Join us Wednesday, September 25, 2024, at 7 p.m. CT, for an in-depth discussion with author Dr. Jon Grinspan on his latest book Wide Awake: The Forgotten Force That Elected Lincoln and Spurred the Civil War.
09/24/24
Watch our first Latest Generation Mentor Session as part of our filmmaking challenge for aspiring filmmakers in the Midwest ages 14-22.
06/22/24 and 06/23/24
Make sure to catch both of our brief documentary series airing consecutively this weekend, Saturday and Sunday, June 22 & 23, 2024, on C-SPAN 2 American History TV (Eastern Time). www.c-span.org/history.
06/11/24
*SOLD OUT* Join us Tuesday, June 11th, for an in-person event with Pulitzer Prize winner, best-selling author, and "America's Historian-in-Chief" Doris Kearns Goodwin!
12/15/22-05/31/24
Select artifacts from our collection that were once owned by Abraham Lincoln’s family, colleagues, neighbors, and admirers are part of an exhibit in the visitor center at the Lincoln Home National Historic Site.
05/21/24
The Lincoln Presidential Foundation is pleased to announce that on Tuesday, May 21st it will award its prestigious 2024 Lincoln Leadership Prize to acclaimed historian Jon Meacham for his exceptional contributions to the historical canon and public understanding of American democracy.
05/07/24
Join us Tuesday, May 7th, for an in-person conversation with author Harold Holzer on his latest book, Brought Forth On This Continent: Abraham Lincoln and American Immigration.
04/25/24 thru 04/26/24
The Lincoln Presidential Foundation, Carthage College and The Lincoln Forum are proud to present the 2024 Lincoln Symposium Thursday, April 25 through Friday, April 26. This event is in partnership with The Lincoln Forum, The Lincoln Presidential Foundation, and the Kenosha Civil War Museum.
04/10/24
Join us on Wednesday, April 10th, from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. for the second webinar featuring our short film series “Fortifying Our Democracy: Lincoln’s Lyceum Address.”
04/04/24
Join Lincoln Presidential Foundation, New American History and Every Museum A Civic Museum on Thursday, April 4, 2024, for a collaborative 60-minute discussion for educators on how Lincoln's Lyceum Address speaks to us today.
03/12/24
March 12, 2024 - Join us on Tuesday, March 12th, from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. for the first of two webinars featuring our short film series “Fortifying Our Democracy: Lincoln’s Lyceum Address.”
02/24/24
We are pleased to share that C-SPAN has scheduled its first two broadcasts (February 17 and 24) taped at The Lincoln Forum’s 28th annual symposium in Gettysburg. Mark your calendars to catch our CEO Erin Carlson Mast and a stellar lineup of historians on CSPAN 2 Live Stream on Feb. 24 starting at 2pm EST!
02/17/24
We are pleased to share that C-SPAN has scheduled its first two broadcasts (February 17 and 24) taped at The Lincoln Forum’s 28th annual symposium in Gettysburg. Mark your calendars for Part 1 on CSPAN 2 Live Stream Feb. 17 starting at 2pm EST!
02/16/24
The Lincoln Presidential Foundation and Lincoln Home National Historic Site invite you to join us on Friday, February 16, 2024, for a special ribbon cutting ceremony and open house for the Grand Opening of “Lincoln’s Springfield,” a new exhibit in the historic Corneau House.
02/12/24
Join us Monday, February 12th (Lincoln’s Birthday!) for a fun and educational conversation with author Dr. Jonathan W. White on his most recent children’s book My Day with Abe Lincoln.
01/25/24
Join us on Thursday, January 25th, for a lively discussion with author Dr. James Read on his latest book Sovereign of a Free People: Abraham Lincoln, Majority Rule, and Slavery.
12/11/23
Join the Lincoln Presidential Foundation on Monday, December 11, 2023 for a private reception and award ceremony to present Judy Woodruff with the “With Charity for All” Wayne Whalen Memorial Award, in recognition of her dedication to advancing truth and democracy.
12/06/23
Join us for some great conversation with editor Brian Matthew Jordan and featured author Michelle Krowl as they discuss their recently released book Final Resting Places: Reflections on the Meaning of Civil War Graves.
11/14/23
Join us for an exciting conversation with Dr. Ronald C. White on his latest biography, On Great Fields: The Life and Unlikely Heroism of Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain.
11/1/23
Join us Wednesday, November 1, 2023, for a reception and celebratory toast followed by a special screening of our award-winning documentary series, “Warning Signs: Lincoln’s Response to Rising Tensions in the 1850s,” and talkback with experts.
10/28/23
Join the Lincoln Presidential Foundation in partnership with the Lincoln Home National Historic Site on Saturday, October 28th for the annual Trick or Treat event at the Lincoln Home. This event is free and open to children 12 years and younger and will begin in the Lincoln Home NHS Visitor Center.
10/19/23
Join us Thursday, October 19th for a lively discussion with author Nancy Horan. Horan is a New York Times bestselling author of Loving Frank and Under the Wide and Starry Sky, and she is back after nearly a decade with a triumphant new historical novel, The House of Lincoln.
09/28/23 thru 09/29/23
Carthage College and The Lincoln Forum are proud to present the second annual Lincoln Symposium Thursday, Sept. 28 through Friday, Sept. 29. This event is in partnership with The Lincoln Forum, The Lincoln Presidential Foundation, and the Kenosha Civil War Museum.
09/14/23
Join us for an in-depth conversation Thursday, September 14, 2023 with Dr. Jonathan W. White on his most recent book, Shipwrecked: A True Civil War Story of Mutinies, Jailbreaks, Blockade-Running, and the Slave Trade.
09/12/23
Join us at the Loyola University Chicago-Water Tower Campus, Schreiber Center, on Tuesday, September 12, 2023, beginning at 4:30 p.m. for a presentation featuring Ambassador Paolo Rondelli speaking about the relationship between President Lincoln and San Marino.
08/31/23
Portraits of past Lincoln Leadership Prize recipients Archbishop Desmond Tutu, The Little Rock Nine and Neil DeGrasse Tyson from the Foundation’s collection were on display as part of an exhibit at Springfield and Central Illinois African American History Museum.
08/12/23
Join us at the Lincoln Home National Historic Site Visitor Center on Saturday, August 12th for a presentation and book signing with New York Times Bestselling Author Nancy Horan. Horan will be discussing her latest book The House of Lincoln.
06/14/23
The Lincoln Presidential Foundation is pleased to announce that on Wednesday, June 14th it awarded its prestigious 2023 Lincoln Leadership Prize to Jim Reynolds, founder, chairman and CEO of Loop Capital, for his track record of mentorship, service, and philanthropy
05/03/23
Join us on Wednesday, May 3rd from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. CT for a Reception to Celebrate the Julius Rosenwald Mural Completion and the Julius Rosenwald Exhibit Project Launch. Hosted by the Lincoln Presidential Foundation and the Jewish Federation of Springfield.
04/19/23
Join us on Wednesday, April 19th from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. CT for PART TWO of an engaging program led by Prof. Pohlad as he takes us through a visual slideshow examining several of the artworks and photographs made of the Sixteenth President.
03/21/23
Join us on Tuesday, March 21st from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. CT for a discussion with author and historian Candice Shy Hooper on her book, Delivered Under Fire: Absalom Markland and Freedom’s Mail.
02/22/23
Join us on Wednesday, February 22th from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. CT for an engaging program led by Prof. Pohlad as he takes us through a visual slideshow examining several of the artworks and photographs made of the Sixteenth President.
01/19/23
Join us on Thursday, January 19th from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. CT for a discussion with author and historian Dr. Kate Masur on her latest book, Until Justice Be Done: America’s First Civil Rights Movement, from the Revolution to Reconstruction.
11/29/2022
Join us for the final installment of “Warning Signs: Lincoln’s Response to Rising Threats to Freedom, Justice, and Democracy,” the Foundation’s new online resource project developed with generous support from Iron Mountain.
11/09/2022
Join us on Wednesday, November 9th from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. CT for the third installment of “Warning Signs: Lincoln’s Response to Rising Threats to Freedom, Justice, and Democracy,” the Foundation’s new online resource project developed with generous support from Iron Mountain.
10/18/22
Join us Tuesday, October 18th from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. CT for the second installment of “Warning Signs: Lincoln’s Response to Rising Threats to Freedom, Justice, and Democracy,” the Foundation’s new online resource project developed with generous support from Iron Mountain.
09/29/22
Join us on Thursday, September 29th from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. CT for the first installment of “Warning Signs: Lincoln’s Response to Rising Threats to Freedom, Justice, and Democracy,” the Foundation’s new online resource project developed with generous support from Iron Mountain.
07/27/22
Join us on Tuesday, July 27th from 8 p.m. to 8 p.m. for a special VIP Charter Member Open House as we shine a spotlight on the Lincoln Home National Historic Site located in Springfield, Illinois.
06/30/22
Take a midday break for a virtual, 45-minute field trip with our friends at Lincoln’s Home, a historic site. The tour looks into the Lincoln family during the seventeen years they lived in the house on the corner of Eighth and Jackson Streets.
06/28/22
Join us on Tuesday, June 28th from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. for an Open House as we shine a spotlight on the Lincoln Home National Historic Site located in Springfield, Illinois.
05/26/22
Take a midday break for a virtual, 45-minute field trip. Our first Virtual Voyage is with our friends at President Lincoln's Cottage, a historic site and museum located 3 miles north of the White House where Lincoln and his family spent 1/4 of his presidency.
May 18, 2022
Join us for a conversation with Dr. Lucas Morel, author of Lincoln and the American Founding published by Southern Illinois University Press as part of its Concise Lincoln Library.
May 5, 2022
Join Lincoln Presidential Foundation CEO Erin Carlson Mast for a discussion with Lee Pollock, Trustee and Advisor to the Board of The International Churchill Society, who will share Winston Churchill’s fascination with the American Civil War and what it reveals both about Churchill’s view of history and about the War itself.
04/28/2022
The Lincoln Presidential Foundation presented Mellody Hobson, Co-CEO and President of Ariel Investments, with its prestigious Lincoln Leadership Prize on Thursday, April 28, 2022.
4/12/2022
Join us for a discussion with Dr. Caroline Janney about her scholarship and most recent book Ends of War: The Unfinished Fight of Lee's Army after Appomattox, released by UNC Press in September 2021.
03/23/22
Joshua Botts, from the State Department’s Office of the Historian, will deliver a presentation on the history of the Foreign Relations series.
3/8/2022
Join us for an in-depth conversation with Dr. Ted Widmer on his most recent book, Lincoln on the Verge.
2/8/2022
Join us for a special pre-publication conversation with Dr. Jonathan W. White about his forthcoming book, A House Built by Slaves: African American Visitors to the Lincoln White House.
11/30/21
Join us for a high-powered interview with author and Lincoln historian Ron White, Lincoln historian and litigation attorney and author Talmage Boston
11/17/21
Join us for the fourth installment of the White House Historical Association’s White House History with Susan Page on “'The Black Man's President': Abraham Lincoln, African Americans, and the Pursuit of Racial Equality.”
11/3/21
Join us for some delicious conversation with author Rae Katherine Eighmey as we explore "The story-telling power of a good recipe"
10/20/21
In the words of Pulitzer-Prize winning historian Joseph Ellis, Mrs. Lincoln “is distinctive for its abiding sanity, its deft and in-depth handling of the White House years, and for the consistent quality of its prose.”
10/13/21
Just how many layers did 1860s women wear to achieve that bell-shaped silhouette? Join Illinois State Museum’s Curator of History Erika Holst to find out!
9/22/2021
Fellow Illinoisan, Ulysses S Grant, is one of the least understood of our American heroes. He is regarded highly by some and scorned by others. This is not unusual for him as even his good friend, General Sherman, said that Grant was an enigma even to himself.
September 19, 2021
The No Malice Film Celebration honored the work of ten remarkable filmmakers, ages 11-21, who are the winners of The No Malice Film Contest, presented by the Lincoln Presidential Foundation, The Roger and Chaz Ebert Foundation, and the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum.
June 9, 2021
How does Juneteenth fit within the broader story of slavery and Emancipation in the United States?
June 2, 2021
University of Edinburgh lecturer Dr. David Silkenat on his latest book.
May 12, 2021
Jon White is emerging as one of the nation’s foremost scholars on the life of Abraham Lincoln.
May 5, 2021
Kate Warne, America’s first female private detective, joined the Pinkerton Agency in 1856.
May 4, 2021
As part of our No Malice Film Contest for young people ages 11-21, Liliane Calfee, director of the award-winning DePaul/CHA Youth Film programs, provided a workshop to help students and teachers get started on filmmaking.
April 13, 2021
Sinise was named the 2021 recipient of this prize in part because of his commitment to helping and supporting veterans, active-duty military, first responders, their families and those in need.
March 23, 2021
The date was Friday, March 3, 1865, the evening before the 2nd inauguration. What was going through Mr. Lincoln's mind? Where were his thoughts on the previous November election?
March 9, 2021
Ed Achorn discusses his latest book, "Every Drop of Blood: The Momentous Second Inauguration of Abraham Lincoln".
March 6, 2021
As part of the No Malice Film Contest filmmaker series, T. Shawn Taylor, a former full-time journalist and master storyteller presents a workshop titled “Trust Your Gut: The Stories You Were Born to Tell.”
March 3, 2021
President and CEO of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library Foundation Erin Carlson Mast, a leader in the museum and historic site field shares her vision for preserving Lincoln’s legacy.
February 27, 2021
Pamela Sherrod Anderson, the founder of Graceworks Theater and Film Production LLC and award-winning writer, filmmaker, and journalist, held a virtual presentation titled “Seeds for Story.”
February 20, 2021
Steve James’ previous work includes Academy Award nominated films Hoop Dreams and Abacus: Small Enough to Jail.
February 17, 2021
Justin Blandford, site superintendent for the state historic sites in Springfield, manages the network of sites .
February 13, 2021
Rita Coburn is a Peabody and Emmy Award winning Director, Writer, and Producer with nearly four decades in radio, television and film.
February 6, 2021
The No Malice Film Contest invites filmmakers, from ages 11 to 21, to make short films that deal with racial healing.
January 26, 2021
David Wiegers joined us to discuss his 15 year odyssey to find Lincoln statues.
January 13, 2021
The culmination of nearly ten years' work.
December 15, 2020
Bob Davis joined us to tell the life and legacy of Frederick Douglass and the recruitment of the US Colored Troops.
November 17, 2020
Sojourner Truth, portrayed by Patricia Davis, describes her experiences as an abolitionist and suffragette.
November 12, 2020
Thomas Brown, professor of history at the University of South Carolina, provides a comprehensive overview of the American war memorial.
October 28, 2020
Explore the impacts and legacy of the transcontinental railroad.
October 13, 2020
October 13, 2020 - The evening included a virtual Happy Hour with Lincoln scholar Harold Holzer followed by a discussion via Zoom with Holzer and Historian Christian McWhirter.
October 1, 2020
Patricia Davis portrays Mary Elizabeth Bowser, a former slave who operated as a spy for the Union while working on the household staff at the Confederate White House.
September 17, 2020
Dr. Lauren Thompson describes the fraternization that commonly took place among Union and Confederate soldiers during the bloodiest war in U.S. history in her new book “Friendly Enemies: Soldier Fraternization Throughout the American Civil War”
August 19, 2020
In Armies of Deliverance, Elizabeth R. Varon argues that Northerners imagined the war as a crusade to deliver the Southern masses from slaveholder domination and to bring democracy, prosperity, and education to the region.
July 23, 2020
"The Three-Cornered War: The Union, the Confederacy, and Native Peoples in the Fight for the West".
June 23, 2020
Historian Richard Striner discusses his new book, "Summoned to Glory: The Audacious Life of Abraham Lincoln".
June 18, 2020
Kathryn Harris presents a first-person historical program as Harriet Tubman- the abolitionist, humanitarian, and civil rights activist who guided slaves to freedom via the Underground Railroad before the Civil War.
June 18, 2020
Edward(Ted) Widmer describes his new book “Lincoln on the Verge”.