In this holiday-themed Tales from the Vault, ALPLM Manuscripts Curator Chris Schnell will be bringing out both rarely seen documents, images, and artifacts while discussing familiar themes of popular culture surrounding Christmas in Illinois. We will look at holiday shopping in Mary Lincoln’s Springfield, the writings of lonely Illinois soldiers from several war fronts, the visual culture of mid-century Christmas cards from Centralia, Illinois, and explore the role a single Christmas song played in the Black consciousness of 1970s Chicago. The Prairie State has an exciting heritage, one that includes many voices.
This will be a “hybrid” event with the opportunity to attend in-person or virtually. The program will take place in our library’s multi-purpose room on Thursday, December 1 at 12pm. The event is free; reservations are not required.
To watch virtually via Facebook Live, please go to the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum Facebook page. Open the page at the appointed time and scroll to the post highlighting the live event. Once you’re there, simply click on the image and watch the live video stream.
Tales from the Vault is a monthly collaboration between the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, the Illinois State Museum, and the Lincoln Home National Historic Site.