This exhibit is at the Central Library Gallery through a grant from the American Library Association. Find out more about the exhibit at the ALA website.
Opening Weekend
Friday, August 8, Central Library
- Exhibits open
- Forever Free: Abraham Lincoln’s Journey to Emancipation - First Floor Gallery, August 8-September 21
- Freedom’s Struggle: The Underground Railroad Along the Ohio River in Kentucky and Indiana - Second Floor Atrium, August and September
Saturday, August 9, at the Central Library unless otherwise noted
- Vintage Dance Workshops - Learn dances from the time of Lincoln to prepare for the ball.
- 10:30-Noon, Tates Creek Branch
- 2-3:30 PM, Beaumont Branch
- Children’s Lincoln Activity: Yarn Dolls - 2 PM, Children’s Department
- Meet President Lincoln - Mr. Lincoln will be at the Library throughout the day.
- Lincoln’s Lexington Walking Tour - 12:30 PM & 4 PM (Maps available for self tour, too.) Learn about places in downtown Lexington that were significant in the time of Lincoln. Take the guided tour, pick up a brochure to tour on your own or watch it on Cable Channel 20. Guided tour begins in front of the Central Library - approximately 90 minutes long.
- Lincoln’s Table (map of restaurants available at all library locations) - 7-9 PM Meet Author Donna McCreary & sample food from the book prepared by local restaurants.
- Vintage Dance Ball - 8-11 PM Central Library - Join the Vintage Dance Society for dances from the time of Lincoln. Vintage-style attire is welcome but not required.
Civil War Weekend
Saturday, August 30, Central Library
- Lincoln’s Lexington Walking Tour - 12:30 PM & 4 PM
- Children’s Activity: Civil War Cyphers and Codes - 2 PM Children’s Dept.
- Civil War Living History, Phoenix Park - 11 AM - 8 PM
- A Word from President Lincoln - 3 PM
- "Is Kentucky Southern?" Who are we? Kentucky is sometimes mentioned as the first west, often called a border state, occasionally classified as Midwestern, and frequently termed Southern. We will look at what the South is and isnât, and then examine Kentucky to see whether it really fits the region or not. Panel Discussion with State Historian Dr. James Klotter - 4 PM
- Saxton’s Cornet Band - 5:30 PM
Emancipation Day Weekend
Friday, September 19, Central Library
- Gallery Hop - 5-8 PM (special guest to be announced)
- Gettysburg Address - 5:45 PM
- Kentucky Music and the Lincoln Family - 6 PM Second Floor Atrium, Central Library. A program of music and dance by the Lexington Philharmonic and the Vintage Dance Society
Saturday, September 20, all activities will take place at Cheapside Park and the Lexington History Museum
- State Historymobile will be at the History Museum all day
- A.A. Burleigh presented by Hassan Davis - 10 AM
- Frank X Walker - 11 AM
- Frederick Douglass presented by Michael Crutcher and Abraham Lincoln presented by Jim Sayre - Noon
- Lincoln’s Lexington Walking Tour - 12:30 PM & 4 PM (meet on Short Street side of old courthouse)
- Dinnie Thompson presented by Erma Bush - 1 PM
- The Underground Railroad with Alicestyne Adams - 2 PM
- Children’s Lincoln Activity: Drinking Gourd and Civil War era games with the YMCA - 2 PM
- Kentucky State University Choir - 3 PM
Our librarians have prepared an extensive bibliography of Lincoln materials available at Lexington Public Library.
Special Lincoln Programs at the Library
Mary Todd Lincoln
Tuesday, August 19, 7 PM, Eagle Creek Branch
Glenna Holloway will come dressed as Mary Todd Lincoln and will bring artifacts along, such as Mary Todd’s china. She’ll cover how Mary Todd met Mr. Lincoln and Mary Todd’s life up until 1864. Question/answer time will follow.
Through the Eyes of Lincoln
Tuesday, August 19, 7-8 PM, Tates Creek Branch
Book Discussion and Signing - Historian Ron Elliott and award-winning photographer John Snell will discuss their new collaborative study of Abraham Lincoln. For Adults.
I, too, am a Kentuckian: Abraham Lincoln
Thursday, August 28, 7 PM, Tates Creek Branch
as portrayed by Jim Sayre (Kentucky Chautauqua).
Lincoln’s Art
Monday, September 1, 7 PM, Village Branch
Use pennies and your imagination to create your own artistic design. Ages 3-8.
El Arte de Lincoln, Utilice los pennies y su imaginación para crear su propio diseño artístico. Edades: 3-8
Abraham Lincoln Tales
Saturday, September 13, 2-3 PM, Central Library
Hear stories about Lincoln’s youth and the Civil War, play games, and make crafts.
This is the House that Lincoln Built
Monday, September 15, 6:30 PM, Village Branch Library
Listen to stories and then use Lincoln Logs to create your own house.
Ages 3-8. La Casa que Construye el Lincoln: Escuche a cuentos y luego utilice los ‘Lincoln Logs’ para crear su propio diseño artístico. Las edades 3-8.
Clack Mountain String Band
Saturday September 20, 2 PM, Tates Creek Branch
This Bluegrass group, from Morehead, will perform Civil War-inspired Appalachian regional music. Be prepared for toe tapping.
The following restaurants will feature a Lincoln dish on their menu during August and September:
This program was funded in part by the Kentucky Humanities Council, Inc. and the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Kentucky Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission and the Friends of the Lexington Public Library. “Forever Free: Abraham Lincoln’s Journey to Emancipation” has been organized by the Huntington Library, San Marino, California, and the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, NYC, in cooperation with the American Library Association Public Programs Office. This exhibition was made possible by major grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities, promoting excellence in the humanities, and the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission, created by Congress and charged with planning the national celebration of Lincoln’s 200th birthday.