PSU Friends of History & Oregon Lincoln Bicentennial Comm to start 2nd Year of Educating Oregonians

Dec. 29, 2008 - PRLog -- The 200th Anniversary of the birthday of Abraham Lincoln is less than 45 days away, and the Friends of History at Portland State University and the Oregon Lincoln Bicentennial Commission is entering its second year of collaboration in educating Oregonians as to the life, times and achievements of our 16th President, Abraham Lincoln. One of many issues covered by events produced by these two organizations concerns Slavery in America and Lincoln's issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation.

To reach this goal, farsighted individuals (through their pro-bono efforts) and non-profit organizations such as the Multnomah County Library, the Oregon Historical Society, the Oregon Lincoln Bicentennial Commission and Portland State University and the Friends of History  have been working hard since 2006 to bring to Oregon outstanding traveling exhibits, movies and notable speakers in free and public events to engage our fellow Oregonians in a dialogue on the American slavery issue  and continuing with activities planned for 2009 and beyond. Here is a partial listing  showing past programs co-sponsored or supported by the Friends of History at Portland State University  and the Oregon Lincoln Bicentennial Commission  including several well-attended events which took place in Oregon duing the 2008 Bicentennial observing the end of the slave trade.

March 2006- The Multnomah County Library under the leadership of Director Molly Raphael receives word that they have been selected as one of 63 libraries nationwide to host the award-winning traveling exhibit: "Forever Free: Abraham Lincoln's Journey to Emancipation." an exhibit which reexamined President Lincoln’s thoughts about slavery throughout his political career and the conditions which led to the Emancipation Proclamation

September 2006- The Civil War Round Table at Portland State University starts a subgroup called the Oregon Association for Lincoln Studies (OALS) to plan for the 2009 Lincoln Bicentennial and to work with the Multnomah County Library to drum up attendance at the lectures, films and discussions to be held in conjunction with the opening of the "Forever Free" exhibit in November.

November 14, 2006. The award-winning traveling exhibit "Forever Free: Abraham Lincoln's Journey to Emancipation" opened in the 3rd floor Collins Gallery of the Central Library in downtown Portland. The additional programming provided by the Multnomah County Library included guided tours of the exhibit led by Prof. Elliott Trommald who spoke at length about Slavery in America, a screening of the Academy Award winning 1989 movie "Glory" starring Denzel Washington and a  thought-provoking keynote lecture by PSU Black Studies professor Darrell Millner on the portrayal of Abraham Lincoln as "The Great Emancipator" and how his reputation has since evolved.

Portland State University, the Millar Library, and the Friends of History/ Civil War Round Table at PSU, the Oregon Historical Society, Oregon Council for the Humanities, Oregon Chapter of the Buffalo Soldiers and End of the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center all worked together to make this educational experience a successful prelude to both Bicentennials: the 200th Anniversary of the end of the Slave Trade in 2008 and the upcoming Bicentennial of Lincoln's birthday in 2009.

Spring 2007-  Preliminary meetings of the founding members of the Oregon Lincoln Bicentennial Commission are held before the group officially comes together in the latter part of 2007. Chairman Mike Burton (appointed Oregon state liaison by Governor Ted Kulongoski), PSU Friends of History president KC Piccard-Krone and other future OLBC commissioners met to plan initial events to kick off the year-long celebration of Lincoln's Bicentennial starting in February of 2008. Plans include a local observance of the 145th anniversary of the issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation by President Lincoln on January 1, 1863.

November 14, 2007- The Civil War Round Table hosted Dr. Dick Etulain as he gives the Chautauqua lecture at the PSU History Department on "With Charity for All" on Abraham Lincoln.

December 12, 2007-  The Oregon Historical Society led by executive director George L. Vogt opened its excellent exhibit: "A House Divided: Lincoln in His Own Words." for an initial run through March 31, 2008. The exhibit starts with the letter where Lincoln declines the appointment for Governor of the Oregon Territory in 1848  and ends with his assassination in April of 1865  and the execution of the conspirators. Several of the artifacts and documents on display deal with the issue of American slavery and Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation. One letter focused on the massacre of black Union soldiers during the war at Ft. Pillow. Several weekday programs open to the public were held at the Museum during the run of the exhibit where open discussions of Slavery in America and Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation were well-attended.

February 12, 2008: Oregon Governor Ted  Kulongoski issued a proclamation stating  "Whereas:  Abraham Lincoln helped to end centuries of slavery in the United States by issuing the Emancipation Proclamation and through his efforts to assure passage of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution" and  declaring that  "February 12, 2008 - February 12, 2010 as Oregon Lincoln Bicentennial Years." Lincoln re-enactor and native Oregonian Steve Holgate opened the session of the state legislature in Salem on this day by reciting from President Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address.

February 13, 2008 - Civil War Round Table at PSU celebrated the 199th Anniversary of Abraham Lincoln's birthday with an appearance by Steve Holgate portraying Abraham Lincoln as he recited from the Gettysburg Address and the Emancipation Proclamation to a large audience at PSU's Smith Center.

March 4, 2008 - PSU Day at the Oregon Historical Society OHS and Dr. George Vogt, OLBC chair Mike Burton and President K.C. Piccard-Krone from PSU's Friends of History put together a free day at the OHS that includes admittance for 200 students and staff from PSU, lectures on Abraham Lincoln, the Civil War and the Emancipation Proclamation, and guided tours of "A House Divided" exhibit. This event kicked off the week commemorating "Abraham Lincoln and the Abolition  of Slavery in America" week at Portland State University presented by the Friends of History.

March 7, 2008- "Lincoln and the Abolition of Slavery in America Day", part one began with a late-morning  screening in PSU's Smith Center by the Friends of History  of the 2007 movie "Amazing Grace" based upon the life and achievements of William Wilburforce. A discussion of the issues follows the conclusion of the movie. The OLBC is a co-sponsor of the programs for the day.

March 7, 2008- "Lincoln and the Abolition of Slavery in America Day" part two continued with a 3pm lecture by Gilder Lehrman Institute President, author and slavery historian James Basker on "Wilberforce, Lincoln and the Abolition of Slavery."  Seven dozen books on Sources in the History of Emancipation (donated by the GIlder-Lehrman Institute) were distributed to students and the general public attending the day-long event.

There are several more upcoming 2009 events in Oregon being planned that will be  free and open to the public on American Slavery and Emancipation, Abraham Lincoln and the Oregon connection. Don't miss out on these history-making events.

To have your email address added to our list-serve, call (503)725-5473 and leave your message on the voice mail. The website for Friends of History at Portland State University is http://www.history.pdx.edu/foh/.  The Oregon Lincoln Bicentennial Commission's website is http://www.ous.edu/lincoln/index.html. The Gilder Lehrman Institute can be accessed at http://www.gilderlehrman.org

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The Friends of History is the non-profit support group, whose volunteers put on special events for the History Department at Portland State University in Portland, Oregon.