David J. Kent's Blog, page 28
February 10, 2020
Lincoln in Ecuador – Wiegers Calendar February
As Lincoln’s birthday week begins I turn to the David Wiegers calendar for another international statue of Abraham Lincoln. This one is in Quito, Ecuador. Shockingly, I have yet to make it to Ecuador. I say shockingly because the Galapagos … Continue reading
February 4, 2020
Black History – Abraham Lincoln and Black Voting Rights
Abraham Lincoln is best known for his Emancipation Proclamation, Gettysburg Address, and saving the Union during the Civil War. But in this Black History Month it’s important to remember that Lincoln also pushed for black voting rights. The Emancipation Proclamation … Continue reading
January 30, 2020
Thomas Edison Builds a Better Telegraph
Disheveled as he was when he showed up on the doorstep of the venerable Western Union Company, Edison was confident that management would see through the rough exterior into his insightful mind. The company had made a name for itself … Continue reading
January 24, 2020
Lincoln in Scotland – Wiegers Calendar January
David Wiegers is a photographer. He is also an Abraham Lincoln fan. He has combined those two interests into a calendar featuring photos of Lincoln statues from around the world. January is the statue in Edinburgh, Scotland. This particular statue … Continue reading
January 16, 2020
Abraham Lincoln and the Forces of Nature
Several times in 1858 Lincoln delivered a lecture he called “Discoveries and Inventions.” Not a particularly successful lecture – the fragments we have remaining suggest it was a bit rambling and lacking in his later eloquence – it presented what … Continue reading
January 10, 2020
Abraham Lincoln and DC Emancipation
Abraham Lincoln signed the Compensated DC Emancipation bill into law about five months before he released his preliminary Emancipation Proclamation. But that wasn’t the first time he tried to free enslaved people in the Washington, D.C. On January 10, 1849 … Continue reading
December 30, 2019
The Year in Science Traveling – 2019
If I could briefly describe 2019 with respect to the year in science traveling it would be – Started with a “C.” Mostly this was in a good way, but unfortunately it also includes cancellation. While I still had a … Continue reading
December 23, 2019
The Year in a Writer’s Life – 2019
What a year in a writer’s life. I was incredibly busy this year even though I finished no new books. As I look back on what I wrote for 2018, I realize that 2019 was also transitional. Whether that can … Continue reading
December 17, 2019
Abraham Lincoln Book Acquisitions for 2019
This was a big year in Abraham Lincoln book acquisitions. My average number of new books acquired has been a fairly consistent 58 books over each of the last five years. This year was 82. While that’s a big jump … Continue reading
December 13, 2019
Happy Birthday, Mary Todd Lincoln
Mary Todd, the future Mary Lincoln, was born on December 13, 1818 in Lexington, Kentucky. She would go on to become one of the most broken-hearted, and often reviled, women in history. The fourth of seven children, Mary Todd was … Continue reading
