Featured Presentations
Dr. Michael Toomey, Emeritus Professor of History at Lincoln Memorial University and Dr. William E. Hardy, Assistant Professor of History and Lincoln Scholar gave a joint presentation entitled, "Lincoln's Dilemma: Slavery, Morality, and Politics," as part of the inaugural events of the Abraham Lincoln Center for Leadership and Public Policy. The joint presentation addresses the president's dilemma of bringing an end to slavery without doing irreparable damage to the United States Constitution and the foundations of the American Republic.
"That's the Last Speech He Will Ever Make: The Assassination of Abraham Lincoln" - Dr. William E. Hardy discusses the assassination of Abraham Lincoln and how John Wilkes Booth, who had assembled a band of willing conspirators to initially kidnap the President and to hold hostage to compel the federal government to sue for peace with the Confederacy, changed his mind on hearing Lincoln's vision for post-Civil War America, which he announced in what would be his final speech on April 11, 1865. Dr. Hardy delivered the following lecture along with a special public screening of Robert Redford’s film, The Conspirator as part of Lincoln: The Constitution and the Civil War Exhibit Lecture Series at the East Tennessee History Center, Knoxville, TN.
"Lincoln's Other Proclamation: The Origins of America's Thanksgiving Holiday Tradition"- Though Thanksgiving traces its roots to the 1621 Pilgrim harvest feast in Plymouth Colony, the practice of celebrating the holiday in late November was not firmly established until the American Civil War. During his presidency, Abraham Lincoln issued several thanksgiving proclamations to help the nation cope with the tragedy of war while remaining grateful that things were not worse. However, none of these proclamations specified a single day as a national day set aside for prayer. Then, in October 1863, President Lincoln, prompted by a famed poet, novelist, and editor who had been vigorously pushing for a national Thanksgiving Day for nearly two decades, issued yet another Thanksgiving proclamation that established the modern holiday tradition.
We Have no Union to Hope For, no Constitution to Struggle For": East TN Unionists' House Dividing - President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation was the entering wedge of dissension into the bedrock of Tennessee Unionism. Alarmed that Lincoln had broken his solemn promise not to interfere with slavery, a number of East Tennesseans rallied like-minded Unionists across the state to challenge those Unionists “radicalized” by the experience of persecution and hardship during the Civil War to adopt emancipation and other radical policies designed to punish the Rebels, thus foreshadowing the bitter postwar struggle for control over Reconstruction.
Steven Spielberg, Historian? Emancipating Lincoln - Steven Spielberg's historical drama, "Lincoln" (2012), chronicles President Abraham Lincoln's final months and the bitter political struggle for passage of the Thirteenth Amendment in the United States Congress. Spielberg's film seeks to find the man behind the monument. In doing so, Spielberg reveals President Lincoln's personal struggles as he confronts battlefield, constitutional, and moral decisions. How can the viewer separate history from creative license? Dr. William E. Hardy discusses the historical context and the role that Lincoln played in the passage of the amendment that brought about the emancipation of nearly four million enslaved peoples. Dr. Hardy delivered the following lecture as part of the Of Sword and Pen: Pivotal Moments in Civil War East Tennessee Exhibit Lecture Series at the East Tennessee History Center, Knoxville, TN.
"'A Perfect Mania': The Origins of 'Base Ball' in Knoxville, Tennessee" - The Abraham Lincoln Center Executive Director and LMU's Lincoln Scholar, Dr. William E. Hardy, recently appeared on C-SPAN's "American History TV" to discuss how baseball came to Knoxville, Tennessee after the American Civil War and shared stories about some of the early games, players, and leagues. The East Tennessee Historical Society hosted this lecture, which is based on Dr. Hardy's 2022 McClung Award-winning article of the same name that appeared in the Journal of East Tennessee History 94 (2022): 58-87.
Upcoming Events
Visions of Christmas Past - December 6th - Noon to 5pm - Abraham Lincoln Library & Museum. Join us for a celebration of Christmas Past! Decorate your own Christmas ornaments, decorate your own Christmas Cookie, get Hot Chocolate from the Hot Chocolate Station, have some hot apple cider, and have a visit with Father Christmas himself! The admission to the museum and the event are both free, open to anyone, and for all ages!
All children will receive a bag from Father Christmas!
Past Events
August 5, 2025 - “Early Tennessee and Westward Expansion.” (lead presenter). Summer Teacher Institute (Sevier County Schools, Social Studies Teachers, 3rd-5th grade), Pittman Center, TN
July 10, 2025 - “‘Let Us Have Base Ball Clubs Organized’: The Origins of Baseball in Tennessee.” Oak Ridge Institute for Continued Learning, Roane State Community College, Oak Ridge, TN
June 25, 2025 - “‘Let Us Have Base Ball Clubs Organized’: Uncovering the Founding Fathers of the National Pastime in Knoxville.” Brown Bag Lecture Series, East Tennessee Historical Society, Knoxville, TN
