Join the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in celebrating America’s independence during a special edition of "Tales from the Vault" that will include an up-close look at the Gettysburg Address.
The free event will be held at 12 p.m. Central time on July 8 at the ALPLM’s library building (112 N. Sixth Street, Springfield). It can also be seen on Facebook Live by visiting the ALPLM Facebook page.
The "Tales from the Vault" program will feature historian Ian Hunt discussing ALPLM artifacts related to American independence and freedom, including the story of Lincoln’s grandfather buying a fife and drum for the soldiers he led during the Revolutionary War.
The highlight will be the chance to see the Gettysburg Address, which rarely leaves the ALPLM vault. Written in Lincoln’s hand, it is one of just five copies in existence. Lincoln used the address to connect the struggle of the Civil War to the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
It is now regarded as one of history’s most powerful expressions of freedom and liberty.
"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.
The mission of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum is to inspire civic engagement through the diverse lens of Illinois history and sharing with the world the life and legacy of Abraham Lincoln. We pursue this mission through a combination of rigorous scholarship and high-tech showmanship built on the bedrock of the ALPLM’s unparalleled collection of historical materials – some 13 million items from all eras of Illinois history.
For more information, follow the ALPLM on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.