Juneteenth

Celebrate Juneteenth at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum with special events, free admission, and a rare chance to see both the Emancipation Proclamation and 13th Amendment – each signed by Lincoln himself – on display together for the first time in more than a decade.

The Second American Revolution

June 5, 2026 – January 17, 2027

Examine how the Civil War and Reconstruction transformed the United States, turning a struggle to preserve the Union into a fight to redefine freedom and citizenship. Part of the nationwide commemoration of America’s 250th anniversary, this exhibit features artifacts including the pen that Lincoln used to sign the Emancipation Proclamation and a signed copy of the 13th constitutional amendment ending slavery in America. 

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Emancipation Proclamation on Display

June 12 - 19, 2026

On display 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. in the library building weekdays from June 12 through June 19. One special weekend display will take place Saturday, June 13. There will be no charge to see the proclamation.

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FREE Admission

June 19 | 9:00 AM — 5:00 PM

No charge to visit the museum. Last admission at 4:00 PM.

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Nature of Freedom

June 11, 13, 17, 18, 19

This readers theater presentation features the words of Martin Luther King, Jr., Rosa Parks, Langston Hughes, Harriet Tubman and more. Performances take place at noon on June 11, 13, 17 and 19. There also is a 6:30 p.m. performance on June 18. 

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Juneteenth Community Celebration

June 13 | 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM

The ALPLM will have an activity tent at Springfield’s Juneteenth Celebration in Comer Cox Park on Saturday, June 13, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Children can design their own buttons, and we’ll be giving away free Lincoln swag and a museum membership.

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Freeish: Juneteenth and the Long Legacy of 1619

June 15 | 6:30 PM

Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and creator of The 1619 Project, Nikole Hannah-Jones, explores Juneteenth and the enduring legacy of slavery in America.

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America 250 Movie Series: Glory

June 19 | 6:30 PM

The America 250 Movies Series begins with the 1989 American epic historical war drama Glory. Starring Denzel Washington, Matthew Broderick, Cary Elwes, and Morgan Freeman, Glory is a tribute to the Army's first black regiment, the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, that was mustered up during the Civil War under the command of an inexperienced white New Englander.

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