David J. Kent's Blog, page 7

Lincoln’s Fateful 11th of April

Abraham Lincoln had a busy day, this April 11, 1865. There were meetings, then more meetings, and proclamations (and more proclamations), a pass for his friend, and a request to General Grant. That evening he would give a speech that would cost him his life. Early in the day he... Continue reading

Lincoln Wins the Sand Bar Case

On April 4, 1860, a mere six weeks before he would be nominated as the Republican candidate for president, Abraham Lincoln wins a case formally known as Johnston v. Jones & Marsh. Lincoln’s experience getting stuck on the mill dam came in handy when he took on one of his... Continue reading

LAST CHANCE to Win a Free Signed Copy of Lincoln: The Fire of Genius!

Only a couple of more days left to win one of five free, signed copies of Lincoln: The Fire of Genius on Goodreads! You can win one of five free signed copies of Lincoln: The Fire of Genius on Goodreads. Click here for more information and to enter now through March 30,... Continue reading

Novelist Nathaniel Hawthorne Meets Abraham Lincoln, and Gets Censored

On March 13, 1862, Nathaniel Hawthorne, the great novelist, met Abraham Lincoln in the White House. He was not impressed. By this time, Hawthorne was already well-known for some of his most famous novels, including The Scarlet Letter and The House of the Seven Gables, not to mention his laudatory... Continue reading

Win a Free Signed Copy of Lincoln: The Fire of Genius!

You can win one of five free signed copies of Lincoln: The Fire of Genius on Goodreads. Click here for more information and to enter now through March 30, 2024.       Click here to get more information and to enter. Giveaway ends on March 30th. Lincoln: The Fire... Continue reading

On Leap Year Day, After Cooper Union, Lincoln Visits Robert in Exeter, New Hampshire

With Leap Year Day, February graced the nation with an extra twenty-four hours on February 29, 1860. Abraham Lincoln was already feeling weary by the time he clambered onto the 10:40 am train from Providence, Rhode Island, to Exeter, New Hampshire. It was nearly two in the morning the day... Continue reading

John Quincy Adams Dies with Abraham Lincoln in the House

On February 21, 1848, Abraham Lincoln was attending proceedings in the House of Representatives, when suddenly, the Speaker of the House, Robert Charles Winthrop, was interrupted “by several gentlemen, who sprang from their seats to the assistance of the venerable John Quincy Adams, who was observed to be sinking from... Continue reading

I had the honor of introducing and reciting Lincoln’s Get...

I had the honor of introducing and reciting Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address on Lincoln’s Birthday (2/12/24) at the Lincoln Memorial. Plus, I led the Lincoln Group of DC contingent laying a wreath in Lincoln’s honor. More on the event here: https://www.lincolnian.org/post/a-lin... Continue reading

Celebrate Lincoln’s Birthday at the Lincoln Memorial (I’ll Be There)

On Monday, February 12, 2024, Abraham Lincoln turns 215 years old! And all are invited to join in the celebration. The National Park Service only sanctions one event per year inside the Lincoln Memorial, and this is it. The Lincoln Birthday National Commemorative Committee (LBNCC), which includes the Lincoln Group... Continue reading

Lincoln Calls Out the President for an “Illegal” War

On February 1, 1848, Congressman Abraham Lincoln wrote his law partner, William Herndon, in response to a critical letter Herndon had written him. Herndon had complained that Lincoln’s “spot” resolutions of the previous December calling out President James K. Polk for starting an “illegal” war with Mexico as a pretense... Continue reading