Four young people wearing Lincoln-style top hats hold up placards and smile for the camera.

Photo courtesy of Ford’s Theatre staff.

Slice of History: Museum & Trivia Night

Ford’s Theatre opens its doors after-hours as part of Civic Season! Explore the Petersen House and Aftermath Exhibits; team-up for Lincoln and Civics Trivia and nerd-out in good company with fellow history and theatre lovers.

To kick off the evening, visitors are invited to explore the Petersen House, Aftermath Exhibits, and engagement stations in the Frances and Craig Lindner Center for Culture and Leadership. Enjoy a scavenger hunt and chat with National Park Service Rangers and Ford’s Theatre Staff about their favorite hidden bits of history. Be on the lookout for hints to select trivia answers hidden throughout!

Afterwards, hungry guests will be treated to free pizza slices, snacks, and a cash bar. The night rounds out with a rousing game Trivia! Get ready to geek-out and show off your Lincoln and Civics knowledge. Trivia may be played in teams or solo. Just sign-up with the Trivia Host when you arrive. Looking to make new friends? Look for the Team-Up Table to join a team on the spot.

7 p.m. It’s time for Trivia! Get ready to geek-out and show off your Lincoln and Civics knowledge. Trivia may be played in teams or solo. Just sign-up with the Trivia Host when you arrive. Looking to make new friends? Look for the Team-Up Table to join a team on the spot.

At-A-Glance

5 – 6:30 p.m. Explore the Petersen House, Exhibits, and Engagement Stations
6 p.m. Free Pizza & Snacks; Cash Bar; Trivia Team Sign-Up
7 – 8 p.m. Trivia!

On Our 250th, What’s Your Wish for U.S.?

Ford’s is hosting a Wish Wall at this event! President Lincoln urged Americans to strive on to finish the work we are in. What do you believe Lincoln was talking about? What work do we have left to do? What do you hope for the future?

America’s Book Club at Ford’s Theatre

Presented by C-SPAN

**Featuring An Inconvenient Widow: Mary Todd Lincoln by Lois Romano**

Step into one of the most intimate and revealing chapters of American history at this special installment of America’s Book Club at Ford’s Theatre. This program spotlights An Inconvenient Widow: The Torment, Trial, and Triumph of Mary Todd Lincoln, a powerful new biography by Lois Romano that reexamines the life of one of the nation’s most misunderstood First Ladies.

In this compelling conversation, Romano brings fresh insight to Mary Todd Lincoln—a woman often defined by tragedy, controversy and public scrutiny. Drawing from newly uncovered sources and deep historical research, An Inconvenient Widow explores Mary Lincoln’s resilience in the aftermath of the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, revealing a complex figure navigating grief, politics and a relentless spotlight.

Romano is joined in conversation by historian, civic leader and philanthropist David M. Rubenstein, who helps unpack the book’s themes and their relevance today.

A Conversation in a Historic Place

Held at Ford’s Theatre—the site forever linked to Abraham Lincoln’s final moments—this event offers a uniquely powerful setting to reflect on Mary Lincoln’s life after loss.

About the Series

America’s Book Club is a weekly primetime television series on C-SPAN hosted by acclaimed author, civic leader and interviewer David M. Rubenstein. It brings viewers into lively, thought-provoking conversations with leading authors, policymakers, business innovators and cultural figures, exploring the ideas that have shaped America’s past, challenge its present and inspire its future.

A Celebration of Oratory

Join us for an afternoon of powerful speeches from our National Oratory Fellows and student delegates from across the country. As our nation commemorates the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, our speakers explore the theme “We Hold These Truths” and reflect on topics and issues that are important to them. Students can also choose to share speeches they have written themselves or recite words that have made history. Hear from today’s and tomorrow’s leaders on the Ford’s stage.

A Celebration of Oratory is a part of the National Oratory Fellows program. Ford’s National Oratory Fellowship is a transformative program that empowers teachers to cultivate critical thinkers, equipping students with tools to navigate both the classroom and the broader world.

Get Tickets

Legacy in the Making: A Day of Advancing the Unfinished Work

In honor of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States, this symposium will explore the enduring relevance of the principles articulated in the Declaration of Independence and their continued influence on the American identity, values, and civic responsibilities. Drawing inspiration from President Abraham Lincoln’s personal conviction in these ideals, this program will engage thought leaders, historians, scholars, and public figures to discuss the ways in which Lincoln’s vision, and the founding principles of the nation, shape the current landscape of American democracy. 

Together, we will illuminate the critical opportunities and responsibilities we have to continue the work that Lincoln and the founding generation began, and find practical avenues to actively contribute to building a more perfect union

Let us strive on to finish the work we are in, ensuring that the founding ideals live on in our actions today and into the future.

What to Expect:

The Symposium will take place in the Frances and Craig Lindner Center for Culture and Leadership, located at 512 10^th St NW.

Session formats may include interactive workshops, panel discussions and presentations.
General Admission Registration includes all five symposium activities.

Attendees may opt-in for a guided tour of the Ford’s Theatre Museum at 12 p.m., before the symposium sessions begin.

Ford’s is pleased to host participants for a cocktail reception in the Malek and Carlucci Legacy Hall following the final session. Alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages and light snacks will be provided.

Program

12 – 1 p.m. – Pre-Symposium Guided Tour of Ford’s Theatre National Historic Site

1:00 – 1:15 p.m. – Opening Remarks

1:15 – 2:30 p.m. –Women in the Wings: Reading American Life Narratives
An interactive workshop facilitated by Dr. MaryBeth Matthews, Independent Educator.

Life narratives allow a multilayered insight into the lives and times experienced by historical figures. Through guided exercises, participants will consider the intersection of personal voice with historical moments through reading selections from three First Ladies who demonstrated a commitment to founding principles of the nation.

2:45 – 3:45 p.m. –With Malice toward None: Confronting Political Violence in a Digital Age
A panel discussion featuring Bill Braniff, Executive Director of the Polarization and Extremism Research and Innovation Lab at American University; Sherry Hakimi, Co-Founder and CEO of Pirth.org; moderated by Vivian Schiller, VP and Executive Director of Aspen Digital.

Political violence happened at Ford’s Theatre and its legacies continue to impact our world today. Explore how such acts manifest in our digital spaces, and, importantly, ways to combat such violence through individual action and government policy.

4 – 5 p.m. – Dreams of the Future: Imagining American Democracy with Jefferson, Adams, and Lincoln
A Civic Dialogue with Historical Documents, featuring Callie Hawkins, President Lincoln’s Cottage; Steve Light, Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello; Sadie Troy, Adams Presidential Center; moderated by Sarah Jencks, Every Museum a Civic Museum.

When the founders gathered to imagine a new nation, how did they navigate differing dreams and ideals? How did Abraham Lincoln interpret their vision and infuse it with his own civic imagination? In this session we will ask ourselves, what do we, the people today, imagine for our future?

5 – 6 p.m. – Post-Symposium Cocktail Reception

On Our 250th, What’s Your Wish for U.S.?

Ford’s is hosting a Wish Wall at this event! President Lincoln urged Americans to strive on to finish the work we are in. Share your wishes during the symposium as we reflect on the last 250 years and imagine the next.

Featured Speakers

MaryBeth Matthews has over 30 years in higher education, teaching in-person and online classes in literature and writing. She served as the Vice Dean/Department Chair of the Communication, Arts & Humanities Department at the University of Maryland Global Campus.

MaryBeth’s love of teaching and extensive background in the humanities informs her dedication to creating and supporting innovative public programs in literature, art, history, and culture. She has presented online and in-person events on historical and cultural topics for the nonprofit Meetup group, Washington, DC History & Culture. She volunteers for studio art classes with Smithsonian Associates and is a docent at Woodlawn History Center at the Smithsonian Environmental Center.

MaryBeth holds a BA and MA in English Literature from California State University, East Bay; a PhD in English Literature from the University of South Florida, Tampa; and a Certificate in Museum Studies from Northwestern University.

William Braniff is the Executive Director of the Polarization and Extremism Research and Innovation Lab (PERIL) and a research assistant professor in the Department of Justice, Law, and Criminology (JLC) at the School of Public Affairs at American University. He most recently served as the Director of the Center for Prevention Programs and Partnerships (CP3) at the United States Department of Homeland Security, overseeing the implementation of its public health-informed approach to targeted violence and terrorism prevention. Under his leadership, CP3 expanded its engagement with civil society, improved coordination across government, and implemented innovative violence prevention strategies across the country. Prior to his federal leadership role at DHS, Braniff served as the Director of the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START) and as a Professor of the Practice at the University of Maryland, where he led major federally funded research initiatives and helped train a new generation of counterterrorism scholars and practitioners.

Earlier in his career, Braniff was the Director of Practitioner Education at West Point’s Combating Terrorism Center (CTC) and an instructor in the Department of Social Sciences. He is a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point and served as a Company Commander in the U.S. Army. He later earned a master’s degree in international relations from Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) and served as a foreign affairs specialist for the National Nuclear Security Administration.

Sherry Hakimi is the CEO of Pirth.org, a global technology nonprofit organization dedicated to helping people stay safe, online and offline. Born of Sherry’s personal experience with online violence, Pirth.org not only provides people access to critical resources and support, it transforms user-reported data into evidence-based solutions.

Prior to cofounding Pirth.org, Sherry’s career has spanned the private, public, and nonprofit sectors on five continents, including at Reebok, the City of New York, and genEquality. A longtime advocate for human rights and women’s rights globally, she has served as a feminist foreign policy advisor at the United Nations and was appointed as Commissioner for the NYC Commission on Gender Equity from 2019-2022. An avid community-builder, Sherry has (co)founded, led, and grown several nonprofits and social enterprises which have enabled her work and impact at the local, federal, and international levels.

Sherry is a 2025-2026 Obama Leader, Truman National Security Fellow, and Term Member at the Council of Foreign Relations. She is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts-Amherst and Harvard Kennedy School. Sherry’s writing and work has been featured in Fast Company, Tech Policy Press, The Washington Post, Politico, The Meteor, The Hill, Defense News, Business Insider, and more.

Vivian Schiller is the VP and Executive Director of Aspen Digital, a program of the Aspen Institute, which empowers policymakers, civic organizations, companies, and the public to be responsible stewards of technology and media in the service of an informed, just, and equitable world.

A longtime executive at the intersection of journalism, media and technology, Schiller has held executive roles at some of the most respected media organizations in the world. Those include: President and CEO of NPR; Global Chair of News at Twitter; General Manager of NYTimes.com; Chief Digital Officer of NBC News; Chief of the Discovery Times Channel, a joint venture of The New York Times and Discovery Communications; and Head of CNN documentary and long form divisions.

As founder and principal of Every Museum a Civic Museum, Sarah Jencks works with museums and historic sites to help them articulate their authentic civic missions and issues of field-wide concern, including the 250th anniversary of the United States Declaration of Independence. Sarah is chair of the Educating for American Democracy Community Learning Partners task force. For almost 15 years, she was Director of Education and Interpretation at Ford’s Theatre Society and before that taught middle school. Sarah is a National Civics Fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University, a Civic Partnerships Fellow at Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello and serves on the board of the National Council for History Education.

Callie Hawkins is the CEO & Executive Director of President Lincoln’s Cottage. A staff member since 2009 and longtime Director of Programming, Callie assumed the role CEO & Executive Director in 2023. She is responsible for innovative leadership of the National Monument and for providing overall direction for all aspects of operations. Additionally, Callie co-hosts Q&Abe, the site’s award-winning podcast, which has reached thousands of people in more than 80 countries. During her tenure, Callie has spearheaded projects that won national and international recognition, including awards from the American Association for State and Local History, American Alliance of Museums, National Council on Public History, and a presidential medal in 2016 for Students Opposing Slavery, a youth education program for high school students dedicated to raising awareness about modern slavery. In the wake of the global pandemic of 2020, she created the award-winning exhibit, Reflections on Grief and Childloss, which has been groundbreaking in the museum field for providing a place to grieve, remember, and openly discuss loss. She has contributed to numerous publications, including the Journal of MuseumEducation, the Public Historian, and History Matters.

Steve Light has worked at Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello for over twelve years and currently serves as Vice President for Education and Guest Experience. In this role, he leads Monticello’s education and interpretation initiatives, guest services, and exhibition development. Before joining Monticello in 2013, Light worked as Manager of Museum Programs at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, New York.

He earned a B.A. in history from Gettysburg College, with a minor in Civil War Era studies, and an M.A. in history museum studies from the Cooperstown Graduate Program. He is also a graduate of the History Leadership Institute, organized by the American Association for State and Local History.

Sadie Troy joined the Adams Presidential Center as its Director of Education and Public Programming in 2025 and has over a decade of museum education experience at numerous presidential history sites. She served as the Director of Education at the Harry S. Truman Presidential Library and Museum in Independence, Missouri after beginning a career in the Founding Era, leading educational programming at both Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello and George Washington’s Mount Vernon. She has an M.Ed in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Virginia and a B.A. in Video Production from Webster University.

It is no accident that her career has been centered at museums that teach the life and legacies of US Presidents and the impact they made on American Democracy. Her work is guided by the belief that a non-profit’s role within society is to help prepare its audience to become active and engage citizens by using its source collections to analyze the past, strengthening personal skills to confront challenges today. Museums don’t just help audiences understand new content, but provide them a safe opportunity to model their critical thinking and civic engagement skills for both classroom and real world application.

Cabinet Conversations: Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness

The story of America’s founding remains one of contention, evolution and aspiration. President Lincoln considered the Declaration of Independence and Constitution as “an apple of gold” and “the picture of silver subsequently framed around it.” What do these documents reveal about the elasticity of our democracy, and what “unfinished work,” as Lincoln described, remains for us today?

Revisit the founding ideals of the United States and trace the complex path from the Declaration of Independence to the Constitution in this thought-provoking conversation with leading scholars and experts. Together, we’ll explore how the framers’ ambitious yet imperfect vision for liberty and equality has been interpreted, challenged and expanded through the lens of constitutional law and how the arts shape and foster national memory.

Cabinet Conversations will take place in the Frances and Craig Lindner Center for Culture and Leadership before the 7 p.m. Performance of 1776. Registration for Cabinet Conversations and performance tickets are sold separately. To purchase tickets for 1776, please click here.

Guest Speakers

Robyn Asleson is curator of prints and drawings at the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery. She specializes in eighteenth- and nineteenth-century British and American art and has published extensively on transatlantic crosscurrents in the history of art. Her lectures and publications reflect a longstanding interest in the role of women as cultural agents and the relationship between portraiture and the performing arts. Her most recent exhibition, Brilliant Exiles: American Women in Paris, 1900-1939, received the Smithsonian Secretary’s Research Prize. She is currently developing an exhibition about writers who shaped the idea of America. Asleson holds B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. degrees from Yale University.

John Mikhail is the Carroll Professor of Jurisprudence at Georgetown University Law Center, where he has taught since 2004. He teaches and writes on a variety of topics, including constitutional law, legal history, moral psychology, and human rights. His recent scholarship has focused mainly on American constitutional history, including the original understanding of the Preamble, Tenth Amendment, and Emoluments, Ex Post Facto, and Necessary and Proper Clauses. Professor Mikhail received his B.A. from Amherst College, a Ph.D. in Philosophy from Cornell University, and his J.D. from Stanford Law School, where he was Senior Article Editor of the Stanford Law Review and Senior Submissions Editor of the Stanford Journal of International Law. Before coming to Georgetown, he was a Lecturer and Research Affiliate at MIT, an associate at Simpson, Thacher & Bartlett, and a judicial clerk to Judge Rosemary Barkett on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. Professor Mikhail served as the Law Center’s Associate Dean for Research and Academic Programs from 2017 to 2020 and its Associate Dean for International and Transnational Programs from 2011 to 2013

History Talks: Lesser-Known Players

There were over 1000 witnesses in the theatre on April 14, 1865, many of whom left compelling accounts of the historical tragedy and went on to live fascinating lives. Shine a spotlight on the Lesser-Known Players in the story of President Lincoln’s assassination. Names like Major Rathbone, Laura Keene, and Dr. Leale may ring a bell, but what about Johnny Burroughs who worked at the theatre, Carl Bersch an artist who lived across the street, or Jeannie Gourlay who was also in Our American Cousin that fateful night?  Together we’ll learn more about some of those who witnessed the assassination and its lasting impact.

This 60-minute program invites Civil War and Lincoln enthusiasts to meet the bystanders, artists, performers, and everyday Washingtonians whose lives were forever shaped by that tragic moment.

History Talks is a webinar series that investigates facets of Abraham Lincoln’s complex legacy and its relevance to today. These engaging talks, designed for history enthusiasts of all ages, feature compelling visuals with content experts delving into Lincoln’s legacy and the world of Civil War Washington.

Ford’s Theatre and the Lincoln Assassination | Public Virtual Field Trip

Learn the story of Lincoln’s assassination from the place where it happened. Explore the world of Civil War Washington, D.C., the events leading up to the night of the assassination, and consider its lasting legacies. During this program, participants will look closely at historical and contemporary images including maps, photographs and illustrations. This program is effective for students looking for an introduction to the Lincoln assassination story.

This 60-minute program is recommended for grades 5 and up.

Public Virtual Field Trips are free and offered on specific dates and times. This multi-point connection is a great opportunity to come together and learn from Ford’s Theatre Educators with students from across the country. Public Virtual Field Trips are hosted on Zoom and interaction will take place mainly through the chat and Q&A features.

Virtual Investigation: Detective McDevitt | Public Virtual Field Trip

Assist Detective James McDevitt as he investigates the assassination of President Lincoln. Revisit sites and reexamine clues from April 14, 1865. In this interactive, theatrical program, participants will interact with historical characters portrayed by an actor, examine primary source images and hear witness statements to determine who is guilty of this heinous crime.

This 60-minute program is recommended for grades 5 and up.

The Annual Abraham Lincoln Institute Symposium

The Abraham Lincoln Institute (ALI) and Ford’s Theatre Society present a free symposium focused on the life, career and legacy of President Abraham Lincoln at Ford’s Theatre.