Association of Lincoln Presenters

Last updated
Association of Lincoln Presenters
Named after Abraham Lincoln
Formation1990
FounderDan Bassuk
Founded at Whitehouse, New Jersey, United States
Type Nonprofit
PurposeHistorical society
President
Stanley Wernz [1]
Website lincolnpresenters.com

The Association of Lincoln Presenters is a membership organization founded by Dan Bassuk in 1990. It was established as a members' society for impersonators of 16th president of the United States, Abraham Lincoln. The group has been the subject of a feature-length documentary and a photography exhibition by Greta Pratt.

Contents

History and members

The Association of Lincoln Presenters (ALP) was founded by literature professor and Lincoln impersonator Dan Bassuk in 1990 in Whitehouse, New Jersey. [2] New members were recruited via newspaper advertisements. [3] By 1994, the organization's membership had grown to 45, [4] six of whom participated in the televised Lincoln–Douglas debate reenactments on the public affairs network C-SPAN. [5] The inaugural ALP conference took place in Lexington, Kentucky the following year and was attended by 34 impersonators. [5] This became an annual event, visiting towns and cities around the US often chosen for their historical significance: the 2013 conference took place in Columbus, Ohio, where Lincoln briefly lay in state following his assassination in 1865; [6] while the 2018 event was held in Freeport, Illinois, one of the locations of the original Lincoln–Douglas debates. [7] The ALP celebrated its 25th annual conference in 2019 in Dawsonville, Georgia. [8]

As of 2022, the group's membership comprises more than 220 reenactors, with representatives from 40 of the 50 US states. [9] Besides Abraham Lincoln, ALP members also portray his wife, Mary Todd Lincoln, as well as other notable contemporary figures including Ulysses S. Grant and Harriet Beecher Stowe. [10] As impersonators, ALP members generally wear paraphernalia associated with Lincoln such as black coats, stovepipe hats and chinstrap beards. [11] [12] Members of the group have appeared as Lincoln in various settings, including educational events, historical reenactments, weddings and acting roles. [13] [14]

Mottos

The ALP has had several official mottos since its establishment. The first, "Now he belongs to the stages", used from the group's founding in 1990 until 1999, [15] was a deliberate misquote of the "Now he belongs to the ages" line uttered by Edwin Stanton following Lincoln's death. [16] A portion of the membership disapproved of the slogan, which was eventually replaced by the pun "Ready, Willing and Abe L.", [17] referring to the group members' availability to appear at public events. [10] By 2003, the ALP had adopted its third motto, "Would I Might Rouse the Lincoln in You All", a line taken from the poem "Lincoln" by Vachel Lindsay. [18]

Media coverage

In 2008, the group and its members were the subject of a feature-length documentary. [19] Being Lincoln: Men With Hats, directed by Nashville-based film maker Elvis Wilson, followed long-serving ALP member Dennis Boggs as he helps newcomer John Mansfield begin his career as a Lincoln presenter. [20] [21] The idea behind the documentary came from Wilson's wife, Victoria Radford, who had learned about the group several years earlier while writing a book about the real Lincoln. [22] The film aired on the Documentary Channel and Showtime. [23]

Photographer Greta Pratt attended four ALP conferences, including the 2012 conference in Decatur, Illinois, taking photographs of the group's members as part of her Nineteen Lincolns project. [10] The collection was exhibited at the Candela Gallery in Richmond, Virginia in 2012, [24] and later at the Chrysler Museum of Art in 2015. [25]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abraham Lincoln</span> President of the United States from 1861 to 1865

Abraham Lincoln was an American lawyer, politician, and statesman who served as the 16th president of the United States from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. Lincoln led the Union through the American Civil War to defend the nation as a constitutional union and succeeded in abolishing slavery, bolstering the federal government, and modernizing the U.S. economy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Raymond Massey</span> Canadian actor

Raymond Hart Massey was a Canadian, later American, actor, known for his commanding, stage-trained voice. For his lead role in Abe Lincoln in Illinois (1940), Massey was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor. Among his most well known roles were Dr Gillespie in the NBC television series Dr. Kildare (1961–1966), Abraham Farlan in A Matter of Life and Death and Jonathan Brewster in Arsenic and Old Lace (1944).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sam Waterston</span> American actor (born 1940)

Samuel Atkinson Waterston is an American actor. Waterston is known for his work in theater, television and, film. He has received numerous accolades including a Primetime Emmy Award, Golden Globe Award, and Screen Actors Guild Award as well as nominations for an Academy Award, a Tony Award, and a BAFTA Award. His acting career has spanned over five decades acting on stage and screen. Waterston received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2010 and was inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame in 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert Todd Lincoln</span> Union Army officer, U.S. ambassador, and Secretary of War (1843–1926)

Robert Todd Lincoln was an American lawyer, businessman, and politician. He was the eldest son of President Abraham Lincoln and Mary Todd Lincoln. Robert Lincoln became a business lawyer and company president, and served as U.S. Secretary of War and U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum</span> Presidential library and museum for U.S. President Abraham Lincoln, located in Springfield, Illinois

The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum documents the life of the 16th U.S. president, Abraham Lincoln, and the course of the American Civil War. Combining traditional scholarship with 21st-century showmanship techniques, the museum ranks as one of the most visited presidential libraries. Its library, in addition to housing an extensive collection on Lincoln, also houses the collection of the Illinois State Historical Library, founded by the state in 1889. The library and museum is located in the state capital of Springfield, Illinois, and is overseen as an agency of state government. It is not affiliated with the U.S. National Archives and its system of libraries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lincoln College (Illinois)</span> Private college in Lincoln, Illinois, US

Lincoln College was a private college in Lincoln, Illinois. The college offered associate, bachelor's, and master's programs. It maintained an extension site in Normal, Illinois that provided adults with Accelerated Bridge to Education bachelor's degree programs. The college closed on May 13, 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tad Lincoln</span> Fourth son of President Abraham Lincoln (1853–1871)

Thomas "Tad" Lincoln was the fourth and youngest son of Abraham and Mary Todd Lincoln.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sarah Bush Lincoln</span> Stepmother of Abraham Lincoln (1788–1869)

Sarah Bush Lincoln was the second wife of Thomas Lincoln and stepmother of Abraham Lincoln. She was born in Kentucky to Christopher and Hannah Bush. She married her first husband, Daniel Johnston, in 1806, and they had three children. Daniel Johnston died in 1816, and in 1819, she married widower Thomas Lincoln, joining his family with her three children.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cultural depictions of Abraham Lincoln</span>

Since his death in 1865, Abraham Lincoln has been an iconic American figure depicted, usually favorably or heroically, in many forms. Lincoln has often been portrayed by Hollywood, almost always in a flattering light. He has been depicted in a wide range of forms including alternative timelines, animation, documentary, small cameos, and fictionalized interpretations.

The Interstate Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) was a college athletic conference that existed from 1908 to 1970 in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Apollo Conference</span>

The Apollo Conference is a high school athletic conference represented by 7 schools in the central portion of Illinois. It is a member of the Illinois High School Association.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Papers of Abraham Lincoln</span>

The Papers of Abraham Lincoln is a documentary editing project dedicated to identifying, imaging, transcribing, annotating, and publishing online all documents written by or to Abraham Lincoln during his lifetime (1809–1865).

Greta Pratt is an American photographer whose primary interests are American identity, history and myth. She is the author of two books of photographs, Using History and In Search of the Corn Queen. Pratt's work is represented in major public and private collections, including the Smithsonian American Art Museum: Smithsonian Institution, The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Museum of Contemporary Photography, Portland (Oregon) Art Museum, and Minneapolis Institute of Art. Pratt served as photography bureau chief of Reuters International in New York City. Her photographs have been featured in Art in America, The New York Times Magazine and The New Yorker.

<i>Abraham Lincoln: The War Years</i> Volumes 3–6 of Sanburgs Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln: The War Years encompasses volumes three through six of Carl Sandburg's six-volume biography of Abraham Lincoln; these volumes focus particularly on the American Civil War period. The first two volumes, Abraham Lincoln: The Prairie Years, were published in 1926 and cover the period from Lincoln's birth through his inauguration as president. The final four volumes were published together in 1939, and won the 1940 Pulitzer Prize for History.

The Central State Eight Conference is a high school athletic conference in the Illinois High School Association (IHSA), based in Central Illinois. While the name implies that the conference has eight schools, there are actually ten schools currently active, due to other schools changing conference affiliations. The conference was established in time for the 1993-1994 school calendar year.

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to Abraham Lincoln:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William Bartelt</span> American historian and author (born 1946)

William Bartelt, often referred to as Bill Bartelt, is an American historian and author based in Newburgh, Indiana. He is considered the greatest living scholar on Abraham Lincoln's youth in Indiana.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Old Bob</span> Driving horse of Abraham Lincoln

Old Bob or Old Robin was a driving horse used by Abraham Lincoln during the period prior to his presidency of the United States. He later participated in Lincoln's funeral. Old Bob's exact fate and date of death are unknown; he was sold to drayman John Flynn by Lincoln in 1860.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lincoln-Berry General Store</span> General store owned by Abraham Lincoln

The Lincoln-Berry General Store was a general store that was co-owned by Abraham Lincoln. The store is one of the reconstructed 1830s buildings at Lincoln's New Salem, a state historic site. It is the only frame building in New Salem.

References

  1. ↑ "Abraham Lincoln Associations". abrahamlincolnonline.org. Retrieved April 19, 2022.
  2. ↑ Van Matre, Lynn (February 11, 1998). "Among Lincoln Presenters, 1 Voice Resounds". chicagotribune.com. Chicago Tribune . Retrieved April 19, 2022.
  3. ↑ Miller, Martin (February 12, 1997). "Men of Character : Lincoln Impersonators Uphold Presidential Virtues". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved April 20, 2022.
  4. ↑ Williams, Frank J. (1995). "Lincolniana in 1994". Journal of the Abraham Lincoln Association (Summer 1995 ed.). Springfield, IL: Abraham Lincoln Association. 16 (2): 33–79. hdl:2027/spo.2629860.0016.206 . Retrieved April 19, 2022.
  5. 1 2 "History – The Association of Lincoln Presenters". lincolnpresenters.com. The Association of Lincoln Presenters. Retrieved April 19, 2022.
  6. ↑ Stacy, Mitch (April 12, 2013). "Lincoln impersonators rub gangly elbows in Ohio". eu.timesonline.com. The Beaver County Times . Retrieved April 19, 2022.
  7. ↑ Jaffe, Alexandra (May 1, 2018). "Here's what happens when dozens of Abe Lincolns descend on a small town in Illinois". vice.com. Vice News . Retrieved April 19, 2022.
  8. ↑ Norman, Benjamin (April 16, 2019). "Inside an Annual Gathering of Abraham Lincoln Impersonators". time.com. Time . Retrieved April 19, 2022.
  9. ↑ "Membership – The Association of Lincoln Presenters". lincolnpresenters.com. Association of Lincoln Presenters. Retrieved April 19, 2022.
  10. 1 2 3 Wogan, Hicks. "Abes Across America". National Geographic . Vol. 241, no. 4 (April 2022 ed.). pp. 6–12.
  11. ↑ Wolf Shenk, Joshua (February 2002). "Being Abe Lincoln". theatlantic.com. The Atlantic . Retrieved April 19, 2022.
  12. ↑ Lanpher, Katherine (May 1, 2015). "Lincolnpalooza". projects.aljazeera.com. Al Jazeera America . Retrieved April 19, 2022.
  13. ↑ Croke, Karen (February 12, 2018). "Making an honest living as an Abe Lincoln look-alike". eu.lohud.com. The Journal News . Retrieved April 19, 2022.
  14. ↑ Carey, Bill (January 2020). "Tennessee Man Makes an Honest Living as Abe". tnmagazine.org. The Tennessee Magazine. Retrieved April 19, 2022.
  15. ↑ Schneider, Rebecca (2011). Performing Remains: Art and War in Times of Theatrical Reenactment. Taylor & Francis. p. 32. ISBN   9781136979699.
  16. ↑ Schneider, p. 45
  17. ↑ Ferguson, Andrew (2008). Land of Lincoln: Adventures in Abe's America. Grove Atlantic. p. 154. ISBN   9781555848514.
  18. ↑ "History Repeats Itself". Forbes . September 15, 2003. Retrieved April 20, 2022.
  19. ↑ O'Brien, Barbara (February 14, 2016). "Keeping Lincoln's history alive despite flunking social studies". buffalonews.com. The Buffalo News . Retrieved April 19, 2022.
  20. ↑ Ghianni, Tim (April 29, 2011). "Nashville residents find fulfillment as Abe Lincoln". tnledger.com. Nashville Ledger . Retrieved April 19, 2022.
  21. ↑ "Being Lincoln: Men With Hats". radiotimes.com. Radio Times . Retrieved April 19, 2022.
  22. ↑ Ridley, Jim (November 13, 2008). "Nashville filmmaker explores subculture where everyone is Abraham Lincoln". nashvillescene.com. Nashville Scene . Retrieved April 19, 2022.
  23. ↑ "Elvis Wilson". networkisa.org. International Screenwriters' Association. Retrieved April 19, 2022.
  24. ↑ Coppelman, Alyssa (November 9, 2012). "Take Your Hat Off to These 13 Abe Lincoln Impersonators". slate.com. Slate . Retrieved April 19, 2022.
  25. ↑ "Nineteen Lincolns". chrysler.org. Chrysler Museum of Art . Retrieved April 19, 2022.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.