Presidents

03 13, 2021

US Civil War: Abraham Lincoln’s First Inaugural Address

By |2021-03-13T12:00:43-05:00March 13, 2021|

Our Civil War series with James A. Garfield National Historic Site continues with a look at Abraham Lincoln’s first inaugural address.

Has any president in US history been inaugurated under such fraught circumstances as Lincoln? States had already begun seceding from the Union. With his first inaugural address, he hoped to avoid a war. So what exactly did he say and what did he mean?

This session of our Civil War series is led by Todd Arrington, the site director at Garfield National Historic Site.

Our Civil War series continues next month at noon on Wednesday, April 14. Arrington will return to discuss the history of the Grand Army of the Republic, the predecessor to the American Legion, VFW, and other veterans groups. The talk will be hosted via Zoom. Registration is required, and you can sign up on our website.

Finally, if you’re interested in Civil War history, several talks in our Civil War series can be viewed online in their entirety, including:

10 16, 2020

The Connection between President Eisenhower & Gettysburg

By |2020-10-16T10:00:42-04:00October 16, 2020|

President Eisenhower had a special relationship with the town and famous battlefield of Gettysburg, going back to his days in Camp Colt. Learn about it here from Todd Arrington, the site directory for the James A. Garfield National Historic Site. (You can also learn about Arrington’s connection to both Gettysburg and Eisenhower.)

Our monthly Civil War series with James A. Garfield National Historic Site continues at noon on Wednesday, Nov. 18. The topic will be President Lincoln’s contentious and close reelection campaign of 1864. The talk will be hosted via Zoom. Registration is required. You can sign up online or call us at (440) 255-8811 ext. 247.

In the meantime, you can visit our YouTube channel for more programs on our nation’s history. We have lectures on both President Eisenhower and the Battle of Gettysburg that you can watch at your convenience.

09 13, 2020

Civil War Generals & the Indian Wars

By |2020-09-13T13:00:30-04:00September 13, 2020|

Our Leaders & Legacies of the Civil War series continues with a look at the role that Civil War generals played in the Indian wars. Ranger Alan Gephardt of James A. Garfield National Historic Site specifically examines the actions and opinions of Generals Philip Sheridan, William Tecumseh Sherman, Winfield Scott Hancock, and Ulysses Grant.

By the way, the Civil War series with our friends from Lawnfield continues during a special online program at noon on Wednesday, Oct. 14. The topic will be the special relationship between Gettysburg and President Eisenhower. The talk will be hosted via Zoom. Registration is required, and you can sign up on our website.

By the way, if you’re interested in Civil War history, several talks in our Civil War series can be viewed online in their entirety, including:

04 21, 2019

The Assassination of Abraham Lincoln

By |2019-04-21T06:00:08-04:00April 21, 2019|

No presidential assassination is inconsequential, but Abraham Lincoln’s murder was a pivotal moment in our nation’s history. It set the tone for the lengthy and contentious Reconstruction Era – though perhaps not the way in which his assassin, John Wilkes Booth, and co-conspirators intended.

Learn all about Booth, his conspiracy to behead the Union, and Lincoln’s final hours from the experts at James A. Garfield National Historic SiteYou’ll discover:

  • how Booth was able to target and kill Lincoln so easily
  • the story of the first woman ever executed by the US government
  • the surprising connection between Edwin Booth (the assassin’s brother) and Robert Lincoln (the president’s son.)

Our Civil War series continues at noon on Wednesday, May 8, at our Main Branch. We’ll learn about the Fourteenth Amendment. As always, the talk is free and open to all.

By the way, if you’re interested in Civil War history, several talks in our Civil War series can be viewed online in their entirety, including:

11 4, 2018

Dwight D. Eisenhower: From World War to the Cold War

By |2018-11-04T06:00:30-05:00November 4, 2018|

We concluded our Presidents of the 20th Century series with a focus on Dwight D. Eisenhower.

Eisenhower was a complicated man — a West Point graduate and general who warned about the military-industrial complex; a man who valued duty but also asked to leave his post so he could marry his mistress.

He also oversaw one of our nation’s most fraught periods, including a chilly portion of the Cold War, McCarthyism, and invention of the hydrogen bomb.

Apparently, he was a pretty decent golfer, as well.

Our resident historian Dr. John Foster guides us through this singular president’s life. Foster, in addition to being a reference librarian, also has a doctorate degree in history.

If you missed it the first time or wish to rewatch it, you can view the entirety of our Presidents of the 20th Century series online:

Foster’s next talk will be at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 4, at the Concord Township Community Center (7671 Auburn Road in Concord Township.) He’ll discuss the life and legacy of Alexander Hamilton.

The talk is free to attend and open to all. If you wish to register, call the Concord Township Community Center at (440) 639-4650.

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