Library celebrates Lincoln's 200th birthday
Ellen Michael reads Lincoln's poem, "My Childhood Home."
An audience of more than 220 listens to Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address, read by Meaghan Sullivan-Wells.
Jasmine Bracey and Ben Charles, who both read passages during the afternoon program, visit the Lincoln exhibit in the Special Collections Exhibition Gallery.
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4:19 p.m., Feb. 18, 2009----The language of Lincoln filled the Reserve Room of the Hugh M. Morris Library on Tuesday, Feb. 17, at a special celebration marking the 200th birthday of the 16th president.

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University of Delaware students in elementary education and the Professional Theatre Training Program read from Abraham Lincoln's own writings, as well as works by poet Walt Whitman and excerpts from the address delivered at Lincoln's funeral by the Rev. Matthew Simpson.

Readers and their selections included:

--Ellen Michael, a senior elementary education major, reading Lincoln's poem, "My Childhood's Home";
--Ben Charles, a PTTP graduate student, reading excerpts from Lincoln's address at the Cooper Institute in 1860;
--Jasmine Bracey, a PTTP graduate student, reading the Emancipation Proclamation;
--Matthew Simpson, a PTTP graduate student, reading the Gettysburg Address;
--Meaghan Sullivan-Willis, a PTTP graduate student, reading the Second Inaugural Address;
--Catherine Lewin, a senior elementary education major, reading Whitman's "Death of President Lincoln";
--Anand Nagraj, a PTTP graduate student, reading excepts from the Rev. Simpson's funeral address delivered at the president's burial; and
--Donte Fitzgerald, a PTTP graduate student, reading Whitman's "O Captain! My Captain!"

UD Provost Dan Rich opened the afternoon program by welcoming the more than 220 guests, including students, faculty and staff, as well as members of the Lincoln Club and the University of Delaware Library Associates.

Susan Brynteson, vice provost and May Morris Director of Libraries, noted that the event was being presented in conjunction with an exhibition on Lincoln in the Special Collections Exhibition Gallery that includes some extremely rare items, including two different books that were the personal copies from Lincoln's own library.

Thomas Herlihy III, vice chair of the Delaware Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission, extended greetings on behalf of the commission and called the exhibit a "wonderful experience" that brings Lincoln to life.

Timothy Murray, head of the Special Collections Department, who co-curated the exhibit with Iris Snyder, associate librarian, said the exhibit is designed to show the complexities of Lincoln and the Civil War era.

"Abraham Lincoln: A Bicentennial Celebration," on view now through June 5 in the Special Collections Exhibition Gallery in the Morris Library, is drawn from the Library's Lincoln Collection, which contains more than 2,000 books and pamphlets, photographs, artwork, sculpture, artifacts, historic documents and miscellaneous material pertaining to Lincoln's life. Included in the collection are copies of the Emancipation Proclamation and the 13th Amendment signed by Lincoln.

The Feb. 17 program was cosponsored by the Office of the Provost, the College of Arts and Sciences, the departments of English, history and theatre and the Faculty Senate Committee on Cultural Activities and Public Events, in addition to the University of Delaware Library.

Article by John Brennan

Photos by Kevin Quinlan

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