David J. Kent's Blog, page 8

Abraham Lincoln and China

On January 23, 1864, Lincoln sent to the U.S. Senate papers relative to the modification of our treaty with China. China had been an important, but sometimes difficult, relationship during the Civil War. While he didn’t spend that much time on it, Lincoln did have several interactions and official duties.... Continue reading

MLK and ABE – Linked Forever

As we celebrate the birth of Dr. Martin Luther King, MLK, it’s impossible not to reminisce on the connection with Abraham Lincoln, ABE. The two men are linked forever because of Lincoln’s emancipation proclamation and King’s reference to it in his “I have a dream” speech. Lincoln issued the final... Continue reading

Lincoln, Science, and the Sand Bar Case

On January 5, 1858, Abraham Lincoln wrote to Robert A. Kinzie of Chicago regarding the case of Johnston v. Jones and Marsh, commonly called the Sand Bar Case. The case was revealing because, in an age where trial transcripts were almost never kept, journalist Robert Hitt was paid to sit... Continue reading

The Year in a Writer’s Life – 2023

The year in a writer’s life was busy. Some of it actually went according to plan, while some of it was, well, off-plan. I continued to do events related to my book, Lincoln: The Fire of Genius, and continued to write for the Lincoln Group and other venues. On the... Continue reading

The Year in a Traveler’s Life – 2023

Another year has passed at the speed of travel, which if my time sense is correct is somewhere between the speed of sound and the speed of light. I’m always shocked to reach December only to wonder what happened to the first eleven months of the year. At least this... Continue reading

Abraham Lincoln Book Acquisitions For 2023

The year is nearing an end, which means it is time to check in on my Abraham Lincoln book acquisitions for 2023. As with recent years, my goal has been to reduce the number of books I buy. I may have actually ended the year with less books than I... Continue reading

Lincoln, Faust, and Depression

On December 5, 1864, President Lincoln, with Mrs. Lincoln, Secretary of State Seward, and Secretaries Nicolay and Hay, attends Grover’s Theatre for a performance of Charles Gounod’s Faust performed by the Grand German Opera Company. Abraham Lincoln had a particular affinity for the fable of Faust. The Faust of German... Continue reading

The Lincoln Forum at Gettysburg

Abraham Lincoln famously gave his Gettysburg Address on November 19, 1863, at what is now the National Cemetery. A commemoration is held every year on that date with prominent speakers, reenactors, and musicians. For Lincoln scholars and aficionados, the days leading up to the 19th are the annual Lincoln Forum.... Continue reading

Lincoln Agrees to Speak at Cooper Union, And the Rest is History

On this date, November 13, 1859, Abraham Lincoln agreed to give a speech at Cooper Union in lower Manhattan in New York City. History suggests this is the speech that made Lincoln president. Except he wasn’t actually agreeing to a speech at Cooper Union. In his letter to James A.... Continue reading

A Trek to Burana Tower and Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan

One of the stops on my region tour of several Silk Road (aka, “Stan”) countries was the Burana Tower in the Chuy Valley outside of Bishkek, the capital city of Kyrgyzstan. Less than a two-hour drive from the center of town, with a grand view of the Tien Shan Mountains... Continue reading