Lincoln Legacy - A Cincinnati Celebration of Freedom

Noted author, historian and presidential scholar Doris Kearns Goodwin

As part of the Lincoln Legacy project, renowned author, historian and presidential scholar Doris Kearns Goodwin has taped an interview with Nick Clooney in which she and Mr. Clooney discuss Lincoln’s impact on the nation, insights into the character of Abraham Lincoln's legacy and his unique brand of moral leadership.

A Pulitzer Prize-winning author, Goodwin has written many historical books including Team of Rivals, the New York Times best seller about Abraham Lincoln, his leadership and the former rivals he chose to have serve as his cabinet during his presidency.

 
Doris Kearns Goodwin's lecture at Memorial Hall
Video of the Lincoln Legacy Kickoff
INITIAL PLANNING PARTNERS
CET
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Cincinnati Museum Center
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Richard H. Finan, former president of the Ohio Senate
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The Jacob Rader Marcus Center of the American Jewish Archives
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National Underground Railroad Freedom Center
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Ohio Historical Society
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Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County
1909 Centennial Celebration Poster
Abraham Lincoln—one of this country's greatest Presidents—possesses a storied legacy. It is a legacy characterized by an unwavering commitment to the Union—to the country he loved—and to the ideals of freedom, democracy, and equal opportunity upon which it was founded.

The cause of human freedom for which Abraham Lincoln tirelessly fought throughout his astonishing, exemplary life speaks to us still today. Indeed, though the cause of human freedom has advanced measurably in the decades since Lincoln achieved the abolition of slavery, there is an urgent need to recognize that the struggle persists.

What can we learn from a man who lived so long ago? Perhaps the greatest lessons are rooted in the timeless example of a man who achieved greatness only by recognizing that others could never achieve greatness themselves if shackled by hatred, discrimination, or social doctrines that diminished their worth as fellow human beings.

Live the Legacy: Lincoln Bicentennial
Abraham Lincoln remains a vital, living force in this country—and indeed throughout the world. The enduring moral truths for which he fought so boldly preserved the very democracy that would have been shamed into extinction by the failure to recognize and uphold the sanctity and value of every human life.

The Opportunity for Greater Cincinnati

As the 200th anniversary of the birth of Abraham Lincoln approaches, a diverse alliance of Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky institutions has come together for a single purpose: To plan the region’s commemoration and celebration of Abraham Lincoln's treasured legacy. The Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Project of Greater Cincinnati will plan "The Lincoln Legacy—A Cincinnati Celebration of Freedom". The events will provide opportunities for all of the region’s citizens to rededicate themselves to the highest ideals for which Lincoln ultimately gave his life.

The events and activities planned for the celebratory corridor will befit a region so deeply connected to Lincoln's profound fight for freedom and justice. It is hoped that the coalition’s planned initiatives will draw tens of thousands to the region to "live the legacy" for themselves.

This CETConnect website will contain information about all of the region's planned activities and will feature videos, classroom curricula and other educational resources as well as links to other sites, both local and national.
Planned activities
(With MANY more to come!)

• "On the Same Page" community-wide Lincoln reading initiative. Community invited to read a selected book on Lincoln and then convene at various branch libraries (or other, larger community venues) for discussion. (Hamilton County and Kenton County libraries)
• Constitution Center Lincoln Exhibition and Adjunct Archival Exhibition—At the Freedom Center, with additional artifacts and documents from the repositories of local archival institutions including the American Jewish Archives, The Hamilton County Public Library and the Cincinnati Museum Center. (To be presented at The Freedom Center; Summer, 2008).
• Lincoln Bicentennial Minutes - :30 and :60 PSAs highlighting the Lincoln legacy in the region and promoting the website and the Project's events. Will air on CET and CETconnect.org and will be offered to other media.
• Film premiere, "Take Us Home"—CET to premiere new documentary about the airlifting of oppressed Ethiopian Jews to freedom. Viewing guides to offer curricula on themes of global emancipation and human rights as modeled by Abraham Lincoln. Fall, 2008.
For more information, contact Joyce Kamen, Lincoln Legacy Public Relations,
by email at joyce@kamencreative.com or by calling 513.543.8109.