Tag: Lincoln Group of DC

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LINCOLN’S 1860 ELECTION – A Special Event sponsored by the Lincoln Group of DC

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lincoln-1860-ribbonSeven score and sixteen years ago the United States experienced a contentious election. The populace was terribly divided, one campaign openly pandered to the fears of white Americans, and the survival of the Union was in question. The winner of that election in 1860 was Abraham Lincoln, our 16th President.

What does the election of Lincoln have in common with the election of 2016? Are there lessons we can learn? Are we doomed to a forever divided nation, and divisive politics?

Come join us this Saturday, August 13th to find out.

The Lincoln Group of the District of Columbia sponsors Open Discussions of events in the life of Abraham Lincoln. The events are open to the public at the New York Avenue Presbyterian Church.

On Saturday, August 13, 2016, the group will discuss Lincoln’s 1860 Election, including his road to the Republican presidential nomination and his victory in the November election. Parallels to this year’s party nominations and the impending campaign will be explored by experienced LGDC Open Discussion leaders John O’Brien, chair of the New York Avenue Presbyterian Church History Committee, and LGDC president John T. Elliff.

NY Avenue Church window

For those who don’t already know it, the New York Avenue Presbyterian Church is “Lincoln’s Church.” The family maintained a pew and Reverend Phineas Gurley was spiritual adviser to Abraham Lincoln during his time in Washington. A beautiful stained glass window depicting Lincoln overlooks the main meeting room. Since the church’s History Committee is co-hosting the event, the sanctuary (Lincoln pew, stained glass window), Lincoln Parlor (Emancipation document, Rev. Gurley portrait, desk and settee), and John Quincy Adams Room (Mary Lincoln letters, Lincoln desk set, etc.) will be available for viewing.

So come join us. The event is open to the public.

The discussion will be held from 10:00-12:00 at the New York Avenue Presbyterian Church, 1313 New York Avenue, NW, Washington, DC. Nearest Metro stations are McPherson Square and Metro Center; and Saturday discount parking is available nearby.

For further information and to sign up, visit the Lincoln Group website here.

David J. Kent is a Vice President of the Lincoln Group of DC. Learn more about us.

David J. Kent is the author of Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity (2013) and Edison: The Inventor of the Modern World (2016) (both Fall River Press). He has also written two e-books: Nikola Tesla: Renewable Energy Ahead of Its Time and Abraham Lincoln and Nikola Tesla: Connected by Fate.

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Special Event – Abraham Lincoln’s 1860 Election

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Abraham LincolnAs the current day political conventions get ready to officially name Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump as the Democratic and Republican nominees, it brings us back to when a relatively unknown Abraham Lincoln unexpectedly gained the nomination – and won the election – of 1860.

Going into the Republican convention of 1860 the most likely nominee was New York Senator William H. Seward, with Ohio Governor Salmon P. Chase a close second and likely strong showings by Senator Simon Cameron of Pennsylvania and former Congressman Edward Bates of Missouri. Oh, and then there was Abraham Lincoln, who hadn’t held political office since his one term as a U.S. Congressman ended a dozen years before.

The surprising results of the nomination convention and election will be the subject of a special event sponsored by the Lincoln Group of the District of Columbia (LGDC).

On Saturday, August 13, 2016, the group will discuss Lincoln’s 1860 Election including his road to the Republican presidential nomination and his victory in the November election. Parallels to this year’s party nominations and the impending campaign will be explored by experienced LGDC Open Discussion leaders John O’Brien, chair of the New York Avenue Presbyterian Church History Committee, and LGDC president John T. Elliff.

More information is available on the Lincoln Group website.

NY Avenue Church window

The event is being held at the New York Avenue Presbyterian Church in Washington, DC (“Lincoln’s Church), which features a beautiful stained glass window highlighting Abraham Lincoln. There is also a Lincoln Parlor containing artifacts and a John Quincy Adams room. Tours of these historic areas follow the program.

I am happy to say that I was recently elected Vice President of Programs for LGDC. We already have an excellent line-up of speakers for our fall program 2016 and are working on filling slots for 2017. Anyone with ideas for speakers can contact me any time.

Please put Saturday, August 13th on your calendar and join us for this entertaining and informative event. Check out the LGDC website for more about our group.

David J. Kent has been a scientist for thirty-five years, is an avid science traveler, and an independent Abraham Lincoln historian. He is the author of Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity and two e-books: Nikola Tesla: Renewable Energy Ahead of Its Time and Abraham Lincoln and Nikola Tesla: Connected by Fate. His book on Thomas Edison is due in Barnes and Noble stores in July 2016.

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Celebrating Presidents Day/Abraham Lincoln’s Birthday

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Sometimes science traveling means traveling back in time rather than place. This past Friday I was transported back to 1922, the year the Lincoln Memorial was dedicated. We had gathered to commemorate the 207th birthday of our 16th president, Abraham Lincoln. Several organizations were present to lay wreaths, including the Lincoln Group of DC, whom I was representing.

Lincoln Memorial wreaths

The Memorial is styled as a Greek temple and made of Yule marble shipped in from Colorado. I discovered something about the science of marble during the event – it’s cold. Temperatures were in the zero degree (Fahrenheit) area, and the physics of metal chairs conducting the cold from the marble floors as wind swirled around us was noticeably emphatic.

Despite the cold there were many visitors gazing in awe up at the 19-foot tall, seated statue of Lincoln. Quickly noticed are the Gettysburg Address and 2nd Inaugural Address etched into the side walls and the epitaph over Lincoln’s head. More observant visitors would notice the 36 Doric columns surrounding the Memorial, one for each of the states that comprised the Union at the time of Lincoln’s death. The names of the states and their date of statehood are engraved over the colonnade.

Easily overlooked, but not to be missed, is the inscription on the steps where Martin Luther King, Jr. stood as he gave his iconic “I Have a Dream” speech in 1963, one hundred years after Lincoln had signed the Emancipation Proclamation.

Col. Andrew Johnson

The wreath laying event was organized by the Lincoln’s Birthday National Commemorative Committee, which is associated with the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States. In the photo above, Col. Andrew Johnson of MOLLUS admires the wreath laid by President Obama earlier in the day. The photo below captures the wreaths of the Lincoln Group of DC and the New York Avenue Presbyterian Church (“Lincoln’s Church) after they had been presented.

Lincoln Group of DC and New York Ave Presbyterian Church wreaths

Of course, Presidents Day honors more than just Abraham Lincoln; George Washington’s birthday is February 22nd and the federal holiday was originally solely to celebrate his birth (while Lincoln’s birth was celebrated officially by many individual states). Over the years the day has come to mean different things to different people but generally serves to remember all U.S. Presidents and those to come.

Fire of Genius

 

Coming in February 2026: Unable to Escape This Toil

Available now – Lincoln: The Fire of Genius: How Abraham Lincoln’s Commitment to Science and Technology Helped Modernize America is available at booksellers nationwide.

Limited signed copies are available via this website. The book also listed on Goodreads, the database where I keep track of my reading. Click on the “Want to Read” button to put it on your reading list. Please leave a review on Goodreads and Amazon if you like the book.

You also follow my author page on Facebook.

David J. Kent is President of the Lincoln Group of DC and the author of Lincoln: The Fire of Genius: How Abraham Lincoln’s Commitment to Science and Technology Helped Modernize America and Lincoln: The Man Who Saved America.

His previous books include Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity and Edison: The Inventor of the Modern World and two specialty e-books: Nikola Tesla: Renewable Energy Ahead of Its Time and Abraham Lincoln and Nikola Tesla: Connected by Fate.

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Wreath Laying at the Lincoln Memorial, February 12th

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I am honored to be the official representative of the Lincoln Group of the District of Columbia for the annual wreath laying at the Lincoln Memorial on Friday, February 12, 2016.

I received my invitation letter from the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, and will be participating in the event this Friday. The annual ceremony began in 1923, the year after the Memorial was dedicated, and commemorates the birthday of Abraham Lincoln. I will lay the wreath on behalf of the Lincoln Group.

Lincoln Memorial Wreath Laying

The event is organized by the Lincoln Birthday National Commemorative Committee (LBNCC). The Lincoln Group of DC has participated for many years, so I’m especially honored to participate this year. Wreaths will be laid for the President, the Diplomatic Corps, the Secretary of the Interior, and for the District of Columbia. Other Lincoln and Civil War organizations, including the Lincoln Group, will also lay wreaths.

If you’re in the area, please join us in the dedication, which is free and open to the public and starts at 11:45 am. I’ll have more photos after the ceremony.

David J. Kent has been a scientist for thirty-five years, is an avid science traveler, and an independent Abraham Lincoln historian. He is the author of Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity (now in its 5th printing) and two e-books: Nikola Tesla: Renewable Energy Ahead of Its Time and Abraham Lincoln and Nikola Tesla: Connected by Fate. His book on Thomas Edison is due in Barnes and Noble stores in spring 2016.

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Abraham Lincoln is in the House

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Abraham Lincoln was in the house, and in the flesh, at our most recent Lincoln Group of DC event. Fresh off his recreation of the Gettysburg Address last month, George Buss brought Abraham Lincoln to life again for those lucky enough to be in attendance.

DSC05590

 

Well known for his portrayal of our 16th President, Buss was in town to give a press conference the next day downtown for Illinois Statehood Day. He also gave a special event for Congressmen in the capitol building. Accompanying him was Bob Lenz, a prominent Illinois attorney, former president of the Abraham Lincoln Association, and playing the role of Lincoln’s chief-of-staff.

The Lincoln Group was honored to have President Lincoln join us for dinner and then entertain questions from our members. Below he catches up on the latest news from the war front from Lincoln members John O’Brien, Wendy Swanson, and John Elliff.

John O'Brien, Abraham Lincoln, Wendy Swanson, John Elliff

As is common with press conferences, President Lincoln gave a stirring opening statement, part of which was captured by fame photographer Mathew Brady (played by yours truly).

The consensus among attendees was that George Buss’s Lincoln was an amazing event. He looks, sounds, and feels like your in President Lincoln’s very presence. From a personal perspective, I first met George last year in Gettysburg and was honored to join him at his dinner table the final night of the Lincoln Forum conference, along with several fans that made the trip from Illinois. I’m looking forward to seeing him again in the future.

David J. Kent has been a scientist for thirty-five years, is an avid science traveler, and an independent Abraham Lincoln historian. He is the author of Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity (now in its 5th printing) and two e-books: Nikola Tesla: Renewable Energy Ahead of Its Time and Abraham Lincoln and Nikola Tesla: Connected by Fate. His book on Thomas Edison is due in Barnes and Noble stores in spring 2016.

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Calculating Niagara Falls

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Nikola Tesla designed a way to harness the power of nature at Niagara Falls. But in my e-book Abraham Lincoln and Nikola Tesla: Connected by Fate, I note that Abraham Lincoln had a scientific connection to Niagara Falls almost fifty years before Tesla. In 1848 Lincoln was taking a circuitous route home from a successful campaign tour of New England (where he stumped for Zachary Taylor). His tour took him to Niagara Falls. Like everyone else who sees the Falls for the first time, Lincoln was duly impressed. Unlike most people, however, his naturally analytical mind seemed more impressed with the geology, math, and hydrodynamics of the falls rather than its beauty.

Niagara Falls

I’ve taken an even closer look at Lincoln’s calculations of the power of Niagara in an article just published in The Lincolnian. The article is titled “Abraham Lincoln – The Majesty and the Math of Niagara Falls” and is in the Third Quarter 2015 issue. [Members of the Lincoln Group of the District of Columbia get The Lincolnian as part of their membership.]

Here’s a snippet. After Lincoln’s law partner William Herndon sees Niagara Falls on a trip several years after Lincoln’s visit, he comes back to describe the awe-inspiring magnificence of the Falls and…

Nearly exhausted with this description, Herndon then asked Lincoln of his opinion of Niagara Falls. “What made the deepest impression on you when you stood in the presence of the great natural wonder?” he queried Lincoln, expecting something equally imagery-indulgent.

“The thing that struck me most forcibly when I saw the Falls,” Lincoln said, “was, where in the world did all that water come from?”

Dumbfounded, the humorless Herndon could not believe his ears. The beauty! The splendor! Had the man not opened his eyes to the sight before him? Had he not opened his ears to the thundering roar of the water splashing into the mist below?

Herndon’s explanation of Lincoln’s answer was that “it in a very characteristic way illustrates how he looked at everything.”

And he was right. Lincoln had an analytical and inquisitive mind. His interest in science and technology is the topic of my forthcoming book and the presentation I will give at the Lincoln Group of DC lecture event on October 20, 2015. If you’re in the area, sign up now.

David J. Kent is the author of Lincoln: The Man Who Saved America, in Barnes and Noble stores now. His previous books include Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity (2013) and Edison: The Inventor of the Modern World (2016) and two e-books: Nikola Tesla: Renewable Energy Ahead of Its Time and Abraham Lincoln and Nikola Tesla: Connected by Fate.

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Abraham Lincoln and the March of Technology

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LincolnTuesday, October 20, 2015 will be a first for me. After giving well over a hundred presentations on science topics I give my first official presentation on Abraham Lincoln. I hope many more will follow.

My topic is “Abraham Lincoln and the March of Technology,” and the occasion is the Lincoln Group of the District of Columbia’s monthly dinner lecture. The meeting is being held at Alfio’s Restaurant in Washington, D.C. Register to attend the dinner and lecture – or just the lecture – on the Lincoln Group website.

Many people know that Abraham Lincoln is the only President to ever have received a patent. His invention was for a device for “buoying vessels over shoals,” and received patent number 6,469. He received it as he was completing his single term as a U.S. Congressman.

Lincoln's patent

His invention never saw any practical use, but it reflects a long-standing interest Lincoln had in technology. Early on Lincoln understood the importance of education and advancement. In his very first run for political office he touted what was then the Whig party line of internal improvements – a system of subsidized canals, roads, navigable rivers, and railroads. He was fascinated by the technology growing up around him. A colleague on the law circuit said that Lincoln had “a mechanical mind.”

Over the years he continued to learn about science and technology and advocated its expansion in daily life. He became the “go-to” guy for patent and technology cases in his law career, he nearly mastered the six books of Euclid geometry in his spare time, and was instrumental in the westward expansion of the railroads. During the Civil War he was the first to use the telegraph for strategic purposes, that generations “instant communication.” As President he institutionalized science and technology in ways that still have significant ramifications today.

My presentation will touch on these topics and more, and are the basis for my forthcoming book on Lincoln and Technology. A preview of some of this can be seen in my e-book: Abraham Lincoln and Nikola Tesla: Connected by Fate.

If you’re in the Washington, D.C. area on October 20th please consider coming out to meet me and hear about Abraham Lincoln.

David J. Kent has been a scientist for thirty-five years, is an avid science traveler, and an independent Abraham Lincoln historian. He is the author of Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity (now in its 5th printing) and two e-books: Nikola Tesla: Renewable Energy Ahead of Its Time and Abraham Lincoln and Nikola Tesla: Connected by Fate. His book on Thomas Edison is due in Barnes and Noble stores in spring 2016.

Follow me by subscribing by email on the home page.  And feel free to “Like” my Facebook author’s page and connect on LinkedIn.  Share with your friends using the buttons below.

 

 

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Science Traveling the Great Capitals of the World

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I’ve been lucky enough in recent years to travel to three dozen countries on four continents. Over the next several weeks I’ll be science traveling in a handful of the great capitals of the world.

I got started on this trek a week or so ago in New York City. Technically it isn’t a capital, but if you asked any non-American (and perhaps most Americans) to name our greatest city they most likely would name New York. On this occasion I spent some touristy time at the Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building, the 9/11 Memorial, and the aircraft carrier Intrepid (which also has the Space Shuttle Enterprise).

Statue of Liberty

But NYC is the beginning of my fall travels. Next up is a weekend in Paris, the capital of France:

The artist in Paris

Followed by a week in London, the capital of the UK:

London from the Eye

To be followed immediately by Salt Lake City (the capital of Utah) for the SETAC meeting, where I’ll pick up an award. And then on to Gettysburg to attend a conference and commemorate Abraham Lincoln’s famous address.

Gettysburg Tweet

Which reminds me that I skipped an event. On October 20th I’ll be the featured speaker for the Lincoln Group of DC. My topic is “Lincoln and Technology,” which allows me to blend my two favorite topics. Sign up now on the Lincoln Group web page.

I’ll have more from the road as connections allow, and many stories after my return(s).

David J. Kent has been a scientist for thirty-five years, is an avid science traveler, and an independent Abraham Lincoln historian. He is the author of Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity (now in its 5th printing) and two e-books: Nikola Tesla: Renewable Energy Ahead of Its Time and Abraham Lincoln and Nikola Tesla: Connected by Fate. His book on Thomas Edison is due in Barnes and Noble stores in spring 2016.

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Following in Lincoln’s Footsteps at City Point and Petersburg

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Union coat and boots“Let ’em up easy,” said Abraham Lincoln when asked how to treat the citizens of Petersburg after the long siege was to leave the city defeated. Lincoln wanted to end the war, reunite the nation, and move to the future of these United States. But first the Union needed to get the job done. Not an easy task.

The Lincoln Group of DC followed in Lincoln’s footsteps as he toured Grant’s headquarters at City Point, and then as Petersburg fell, walked the streets of that city. Led by certified Washington tour guide and LGDC member Craig Howell, this was a tour that had its own trials and tribulations ahead of the actual day of victory. Postponed from its original date in June to October 3rd, Hurricane Joaquin and a Nor’easter storm seemed destined to thwart our efforts. Ah, but the tour must go on, and all the participants are glad that it did, despite overcast skies and occasional rain. Not the best conditions, but reminiscent of those that Grant’s troops battled as they fought to save the country.

Starting from King Street Metro in Old Town, Alexandria, our coach (driven by our esteemed driver Howard) streaked down to the Richmond, Virginia area for our first stop at City Point. Now a beautiful convergence of the James and Appomattox Rivers, City Point became a bustling supply port for Union forces. At any given time there could be 200 vessels lining the docks, offloading food for nearly 100,000 soldiers, weapons and gunpowder, hay and other foods for the horses and livestock, and supplies to build railroads.

At City point there is a comfortable house, home of Dr. Richard Eppes, a plantation and slave owner who nonetheless disagreed with Virginia’s decision to secede. Craig informed us that the home was used by the most important Union officer on the site – the Quartermaster, who coordinates the supply chain. General-in-Chief Ulysses S. Grant chose to set up camp in tents on the lawn beside the house; those tents became sturdier cabins once it was clear the siege would extend through the winter.

Grant's cabin City Point

At the time there were many tents, then cabins, but after the war all but one were removed as Eppes returned to his still standing but somewhat worse-for-wear home. Grant would guide his troops from there until the end of the siege. Lincoln had been there in June 1864, but for his last trip would arrive at City Point on March 24, 1865, from where he conferred with Grant, visited local hospitals, and reviewed the troops. Ray and John do there best recreation of Grant and Lincoln discussing troop movements.

In Grant's cabin

From City Point we went on to Fort Wadsworth, where Lincoln reviewed strategy and met with troops only a couple of miles from Confederate front lines. Then on to the Wallace House in Petersburg, where Lincoln and Grant sat on the front porch discussing strategy for ending the war and beginning the reconstruction. Finally, we received a tour of Centre Hill, the biggest home in Petersburg and the location of yet another meeting between Lincoln and his generals.

As always, Craig Howell regaled our group with an incredible depth of knowledge that rivals the iconic Ed Bearss. Craig’s command of all the key players, their history, of troop movements, and wonderful stories add so much to the locations we visit. A good example is his recounting of the strange case of John Maxwell, a Confederate who destroyed much of the City Point docks with a “horological torpedo” (aka, a time bomb).

 

John Maxwell

Our knowledge of City Point and the Petersburg campaign is assuredly greatly enhance thanks to Craig, and despite the dampness everyone had a great time following in the footsteps of Abraham Lincoln.

David J. Kent has been a scientist for thirty-five years, is an avid science traveler, and an independent Abraham Lincoln historian. He is the author of Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity (now in its 5th printing) and two e-books: Nikola Tesla: Renewable Energy Ahead of Its Time and Abraham Lincoln and Nikola Tesla: Connected by Fate. His book on Thomas Edison is due in Barnes and Noble stores in spring 2016.

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Two Must-See Abraham Lincoln Events

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There are two upcoming “must-see” events sponsored by the Lincoln Group of DC. Sign up now to reserve space.

September 15th: Dinner + Lecture featuring Michael A. Ross, University of Maryland

Michael RossOur monthly dinner and lecture meetings return on Sept. 15th with Michael Ross, who will speak about “Lincoln and Johnson: The Struggle to Re-unite a Nation.”

Location: Alfio’s Trattoria, 4515 Willard Ave., Chevy Chase, MD

Time: Dinner – 6:00 pm, Program – 7:00 pm

 

Professor Ross is the author of two award-winning books, Justice of Shattered Dreams: Samuel Freeman Miller and the Supreme Court During the Civil War Era (LSU, 2003), and The Great New Orleans Kidnapping Case: Race, Law, and Justice in the Reconstruction Era (Oxford UP, 2014).

Sign up on the Lincoln Group website

October 3rd: Annual Picnic and Bus Tour

Lincoln's Last StepsJoin us on a tour of “Lincoln’s Final Footsteps” as he visits General Grant at City Point and Petersburg. Among the stops are Grant’s headquarters, Appomattox Manor, Fort Wadsworth, and the Wallace House and Centre Hill Mansion in Petersburg. Tour led by registered master tour guide Craig Howell.

Location: Meet at King Street Metro Station in Alexandria, VA

Time: 8:30 am to 7:30 pm

More details and sign up on the Lincoln Group website

I will be attending both of these events and look forward to seeing both new and old faces. Check out the Lincoln Group of DC website for more details and other events.

David J. Kent has been a scientist for over thirty years, is an avid science traveler, and an independent Abraham Lincoln historian. He is the author of Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity and the e-book Nikola Tesla: Renewable Energy Ahead of Its Time. He is currently writing a book on Thomas Edison.

Follow me by subscribing by email on the home page.  And feel free to “Like” my Facebook author’s page and connect on LinkedIn.  Share with your friends using the buttons below.