Peters library to host exhibit, events about Lincoln
Peters Township Public Library was chosen by the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History to host the exhibit “Looking at Lincoln: Political Cartoons from the Civil War Era.”
The national traveling exhibition, which, explores the Civil War and issues of slavery through political cartoons depicting Abraham Lincoln and his policies, will be at the library Aug. 30 and through Sept. 27. The cartoons are vividly biting; they invite visitors to put aside 21st-century assumptions and look at events through the eyes of people living in the era.
Among the highlights are a California printing of the Emancipation Proclamation signed by Abraham Lincoln and political cartoons relating to the election of 1860. As Americans continue to debate the legacy of slavery, these cartoons provide a historical point of reference for current events. The exhibit will be open for viewing during library hours.
On Sept. 8, the library will host “An Evening with President Lincoln” from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Impressionist Richard Miller will share stories and anecdotes from Lincoln’s presidency and early years.
Miller is a member of the Association of Lincoln presenters and portrays Lincoln several times a year at parades, fairs and other events. He is an avid reader of books about Lincoln and finds him to possess an outstanding sense of humor.
Dr. Elaine Frantz Parsons, an associate professor of history at Duquesne University, will visit the library from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Sept. 22 to present “Abraham Lincoln: The Careworn, Gentle Face of Wartime Violence.”
Political cartoons, like other popular media, often focused on the person of Abraham Lincoln as a way to think about the inconceivable violence of the Civil War. Depicted as a calm, rational man, slow to anger, physically strong yet ungainly and nonthreatening, Lincoln came to serve as a sign of the controlled and patient wisdom of the north, as opposed to the aggression of the south.
As a plain “man of the people,” his was the common sense of the common man. This made the fact that he controlled a capacity for violence unknown to the nation seemingly less troubling. The program will discuss how Lincoln mediated discussions of violence during the war.
Registration is required for both programs by emailing programs@ptlibrary.org or calling 724-941-9430, ext. 1.