Lincoln: A Providential President
Tuesday, May 21, 2024
Join the Institute of Policy Politics and History’s Founding Director, Former Mayor Sharon Pratt, and MSNBC Co-Host, The Weekend & IPPH Board Co-Chair Michael Steele for a panel discussion accompanied by a staged reading of some of President Lincoln’s famous words.
This program is a part of the Defining Fathers Legacy Series which provides a compelling mix of VODCASTS, IN-PERSON, and LIVE-STREAMED programs. The programming offered reveals the depth of the lives, motivations, and contradictions of Presidents Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant and freedom advocate Frederick Douglass. These leaders played pivotal roles in transforming the Nation’s Capital into a meaningful metropolis due to their collective effort to preserve the Union, abolish slavery, and reconstruct a bitterly divided, now emancipated America.
The Institute for Policy Politics and History (IPPH) chronicles the epochal evolution of the nation’s capital as it rediscovers Washington, D.C.’s history and the touchstone issues that impacted it. The Institute celebrates all of its history, a history rich with contradictions. The venue along the banks of the Potomac was chosen because of its significant slave trading presence. Yet, the city’s architectural character emerges as a magnificent design inspired by the “all men are created equal” Declaration of Independence. By offering fulsome reflections regarding personalities pivotal to the narrative of the Nation’s Capital and pivotal to the narrative of the nation, IPPH believes we are enriched as we continue our journey to attaining “that perfect union.”
Sponsored in Part by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.
Stand Up, Be Heard: A Celebration of Student Voices
Monday, May 20, 2024 at 7 p.m. – FREE
Join us on Monday, May 20 at 7 p.m. as students from three local schools from across the Washington, D.C. metro area take to Ford’s Theatre stage to share original and historic speeches on the Ford’s Theatre stage. With the Ford’s Approach to Oratory as its foundation, students use the power of public speaking to learn from changemakers from the past and to craft their own texts that expound on topics that are important to them. Watch as they take to the stage and captivate you with their presence. Listen as the orators share their perspective on today’s world – and show why youth voices matter.
Battle for Freedom: Exploring Antietam
May 11, 2024
The Battle of Antietam is remembered as the single bloodiest day of the Civil War, but it was also a watershed moment during events that resulted in the end of slavery. Join us as we walk this hallowed ground to explore the experiences of the men who fought in this battle, its impact on the civilian population and its place in the broader historiography of the Civil War and American history.
Join Ford’s Theatre Educators and history-lovers for a full-day bus tour from Ford’s Theatre to Antietam National Battlefield. Our tour will be led by renowned Civil War scholar and Ford’s Theatre Advisory Council Member Kevin M. Levin and National Park Service Ranger Keith Snyder.
Cost: Free
Participants will take away:
- A deeper understanding of how the battle shaped Lincoln’s strategy on issuing the Emancipation Proclamation.
- A nuanced and human perspective on how this pivotal battle impacted one small town and the nation as whole.
- Participants seeking professional development credit may request a letter certifying 5 hours.
Itinerary
8:30 a.m. – Bus Departs from Ford’s Theatre Center for Education and Leadership (514 10th Street NW, Washington D.C.)
10 a.m. – Arrive Antietam National Battlefield. Tour and orientation in Visitor’s Center
10:45 a.m. – Bus Tour of Antietam National Battlefield including: cornfield, Bloody Lane, Burnside Bridge and National Cemetery. We will break for a picnic lunch (boxed lunches provided) around noon.
2 p.m. – Bus Departs from Antietam National Battlefield.
3:30 p.m. – Arrive at Ford’s Theatre, Washington, D.C.
Know Before You Go:
- Space is limited to 20 participants.
- Boxed lunches will be provided.
- Round trip transportation is provided on a motorcoach equipped with a lavatory.
- Information about parking and transportation to Ford’s Theatre can be found here.
What to Bring:
- Please dress for the weather. This tour will go on, rain or shine.
- Picnic blanket for lunch
- Bug spray
- Sunscreen
- Water Bottle
- Snacks
This project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services [MA-252940-OMS-23].
From Quill to Curtain: Crafting Plays Inspired by History
The Ford’s Theatre Legacy Commissions: A First Look Playwriting Workshop
Join us for a two-hour community workshop where writers of all levels are invited to work on elements of playwriting centered around building a narrative based on a historical figure or event. Themes covered will include historical research, the use of primary sources, creative license, crafting the storyline and characters and connecting the past to the present.
Playwright Nambi E. Kelley will share insight into her process in the creation of the play SISTER X in a Q&A-style interview at the top of the workshop. Time will be allotted to in-session writing, after which participants will share their work with the group.
BEFORE the workshops, participants will be required to:
- Identify the historical figure or event they would like to develop their play around.
- Conduct preliminary research to inform their writing such as but not limited to: Name (s), time period and setting and historical contribution or significance.
- Please bring this information with you to the session.
Pencil and paper will be provided. Electronic devices are not necessary but you may bring along your own laptops.
Workshop space is extremely limited. Please contact us if you are no longer able to attend the event.
For more information about this program, email [email protected].
A First Look: Ford’s Theatre Legacy Commissions Playwriting Workshop
Wednesday, January 25, 2024 5:30-7:30pm FREE
From Quill to Curtain: Crafting Plays Inspired by History
Join us for a two-hour community workshop where writers of all levels are invited to work on elements of playwriting centered around building a narrative based on a historical figure or event. Themes covered will include historical research and the use of primary sources, creative license, crafting the storyline and characters, and connecting the past to the present.
BEFORE the workshops, participants will be required to:
- Identify the historical figure or event they would like to develop their play around.
- Conduct preliminary research to inform their writing such as but not limited to: Name (s), time period and setting and historical contribution or significance.
- Please bring this information with you to the session.
Pencil and paper will be provided. Electronic devices are not necessary but you may bring along your own laptops.
Workshop space is extremely limited. Please contact us if you are no longer able to attend the event.
For more information about this program email [email protected].
The 16th Annual Lincoln Oratory Festival
Ford’s Theatre and Washington, D.C.-area schools commemorate Lincoln’s birthday by reciting historic speeches from notable orators.
Join us for the 16th annual Lincoln Oratory Festival, which honors Abraham Lincoln’s birthday and skill as a compelling orator. Participating classrooms perform a historical speech from a curation of abridged texts. This year’s selection includes speeches by Abraham Lincoln, Frederick Douglas, Chief Canassatego, Seneca Chiefs, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Mary McLeod Bethune and Eleanor Roosevelt. Reserve free tickets at the links below.
About the Lincoln Oratory Residency and Festival Program
The Lincoln Oratory Residency and Festival program involves 3rd – 8th-grade students experiencing and exploring the power of historical speeches. Ensembles work with a Ford’s Teaching Artist between October and January and throughout five in-person residency visits to learn oratory and performance skills. Throughout the program, students enhance their vocabulary, develop public speaking skills and build confidence as they bring historical speeches to life on stage at Ford’s Theatre.
Virtual Investigation: Detective McDevitt
Monday, April 22, 2024
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.
Related Resources
You will be asked to recall evidence, witness statements and clues, and vote on the guilt or innocence of each of the conspirators before the Detective reveals what actually happened. Use this Deputy Notebook to take notes as your follow along the investigation.
Ford’s Theatre and the Lincoln Assassination
Monday, April 15, 2024
Explore the story of President Lincoln’s assassination at Ford’s Theatre, the events leading up to it, and consider its lasting legacies. In this interactive program, participants will look closely at historical and contemporary images including maps, photographs and illustrations.
The Stages of Lincoln’s Legacy
Thursday, February 29, 2024
President Lincoln’s assassination in 1865 may have been the end of his life, but it was the beginning of his legacy. From the Civil War to Civil Rights to today, Ford’s Theatre and the Lincoln Memorial have served as stages from which we remember President Lincoln and the reflect on things that mattered to him and still matter to us today: unity, creativity and the right to rise.
This program is presented as part of the Presidential Primary Sources Project.
Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln
Wednesday, February 14, 2024
While the Emancipation Proclamation promised freedom, it allowed Black men to join the U.S. Army and fight to fulfill that promise for themselves. Lincoln invited Douglass to the White House to help establish this unit of the Army that would grow to 185,000 men. Join the discussion on how these two, great leaders worked together to help end slavery.
Elizabeth Keckly and the Lincolns
Thursday, February 1, 2024
Gain a unique view into the Lincoln White House through the eyes of Elizabeth Keckly. A self-emancipated, female business owner and dress maker, she was counted among Mrs. Lincoln’s closest friends. Her life and experiences offer a glimpse of life in the Lincoln family, urban slavery and emancipation, and what freedom could look like for African American women.
Ford’s Theatre and the Lincoln Assassination
Monday, April 15, 2024
Explore the story of President Abraham Lincoln’s assassination at Ford’s Theatre, the events leading up to it, and consider its lasting legacies. In this interactive program, participants will look closely at historical and contemporary images including maps, photographs and illustrations.
This program is part of History Talks, a webinar series that explores 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.