the lincoln club of delaware |
ANNUAL BIRTHDAY DINNER Starting in the Fall of 1987, the Lincoln Club of Delaware instituted annual Fall Programs on some historical aspects of Lincoln and his times. Typically, these free programs feature local speakers and are held the Sunday afternoon prior to Thanksgiving for members and their guests. A social hour is followed by the guest speaker. |
Date: February 2027 (exact date TBA) Location: The Wilmington Country Club, 4825 Kennett Pike, Wilmington, Delaware Cocktail Hour: 6:00 – 7:00 pm Members: $85 / Guests: $100 | Guest speaker: TBA Sponsorship opportunities: Top Hat ($2500), Gettysburg Address ($1000), Mary Todd Lincoln ($500) Please RSVP by: TBA [EVENT REGISTRATION FORM] |
List of Past SPeakers |
2025-2020
2025 – Kathryn Canavan, former journalist and author of historic true crime stories, “A Front-Row Seat to the Lincoln Assassination,” the subject of her best-selling Lincoln’s Final Hours. Retired Chief Justice of Rhode Island Frank Williams presented Secretary Sam L. Waltz, Jr., with the Lincoln Club of Delaware Gold Medal for his service to the Club. Musical program by the Choir School of Delaware.
2024 – Edward Achorn, former journalist and historian described “Abraham Lincoln, the Candidate Nobody Expected,” the subject of his award-winning The Lincoln Miracle: the Republican Convention that Changed History.
2023 – Roger Lowenstein, American financial journalist spoke about his recent book, Ways and Means: How Lincoln and his Cabinet Financed the Civil War, winner of the 2022 Harold Holzer Lincoln Forum Book Prize.
2022 – Adam Goodheart, Washington College professor, historian, essayist, and author of the best-selling history, 1861: The Civil War Awakening (Knopf, Viking).
2021 – Dinner postponed due to COVID-19.
2020 – David W. Blight, Sterling Professor of History, Yale University; Director, Gilder Lehrman Center for the Study of Slavery, Resistance, and Abolition; author of Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom (Pulitzer Prize History 2019).
2019–20002019 — Jonathan W. White, associate professor of American Studies, Christopher Newport University. 2018 — John Stauffer, Harvard University professor; author of Giants: The Parallel Lives of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln. 2017 — John Fabian Witt, Yale Law School professor; author of Lincoln’s Code. 2016 — John Skilton; “Abraham Lincoln: A Lawyer ‘For the Ages’.” 2015 — John David Smith, UNC Charlotte professor. 2014 — Matthew Pinsker; author of Lincoln’s Sanctuary. 2013 — Michael Burlingame; author of Abraham Lincoln: A Life. 2012 — James L. Swanson; author of Manhunt. 2011 — James Oaks; author of The Radical and the Republican. 2010 — Douglas L. Wilson; author of Lincoln’s Sword. 2009 — Hon. Frank Williams and Dr. Harold Holzer. 2008 — James L. Swanson; author of Lincoln’s Assassins. 2007 — James M. McPherson, Princeton University. 2006 — Hon. Frank J. Williams; “Abraham Lincoln and Civil Liberties in Wartime.” 2005 — Nelson D. Lankford; “Lincoln in Richmond.” 2004 — Lucas E. Morel; analysis of Frederick Douglass and Lincoln. 2003 — William Lee Miller; “A Magnanimous President Chooses a Secretary of War.” 2002 — Alan C. Guelzo; Lincoln’s views on race relations. 2001 — John C. Waugh; “Reelecting Lincoln in 1864.” 2000 — Grant Romer; “Lincoln Likeness and Dislikeness.” |
1999–19701999 — Jean H. Baker, Professor of History, Goucher College. 1998 — James I. Robertson, Jr., Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. 1997 — David E. Long, East Carolina University. 1996 — Stephen B. Oates, University of Massachusetts, Amherst; author of With Malice Towards None. 1995 — Merrill D. Peterson, University of Virginia. 1994 — James W. Symington, Esquire; “A Hayride with Abraham Lincoln.” 1993 — Calvin Skaggs; “Seeing Lincoln Human Again.” 1992 — Hon. Paul Simon; “Lincoln as a Legislator.” 1991 — Harold Holzer; “Two Views of Abraham Lincoln.” 1990 — John A. Munroe, University of Delaware; “Lincoln’s Opponents.” 1989 — Frank J. Williams; “Abraham Lincoln – Deeds and Misdeeds.” 1988 — John K. Lattimer; “Comparison of the Lincoln and Kennedy Assassinations.” 1987 — William F. Stapp, National Portrait Gallery. 1986 — Richard Nelson Current; “Abraham Lincoln and Fiction As History.” 1985 — Richard Venezky, University of Delaware. 1984 — James M. McPherson, Princeton University. 1983 — John Hope Franklin, Duke University. 1982 — John Lloyd; “Mr. Lincoln Defines America.” 1981 — Harry Repman, M.D.; “Mr. Lincoln’s Health.” 1980 — Mark E. Neely, Jr.; “Who Voted for Abraham Lincoln?” 1979 — William Hanchett; “Stanton and Lincoln’s Assassination.” 1978 — Harold Holzer; “Lincoln as the Print Artists Saw Him.” 1977 — E. Elton Trueblood; “Abraham Lincoln: Theologian of American Anguish.” 1976 — William B. Catton; “Lincoln and the Declaration of Independence.” 1975 — Hon. Fred Schwengel; “Lincoln the Fiery Moderate.” 1974 — Bell L. Wiley; “A Southerner Looks at Lincoln.” 1973 — Richard D. Mudd; Lincoln assassination discussion. 1972 — Hon. Mark O. Hatfield; “Lincoln, the Scholar.” 1971 — Dwight L. Dumond; “Abraham Lincoln.” 1970 — Burton R. Laub; “Will the Real Abraham Lincoln Please Stand Up?” |
1979–19501979 — William Hanchett; “Stanton and Lincoln’s Assassination.” 1978 — Harold Holzer; “Lincoln as the Print Artists Saw Him.” 1977 — E. Elton Trueblood; “Abraham Lincoln: Theologian of American Anguish.” 1976 — William B. Catton; “Lincoln and the Declaration of Independence.” 1975 — Hon. Fred Schwengel; “Lincoln the Fiery Moderate.” 1974 — Bell L. Wiley; “A Southerner Looks at Lincoln.” 1973 — Richard D. Mudd; Lincoln assassination discussion. 1972 — Hon. Mark O. Hatfield; “Lincoln, the Scholar.” 1971 — Dwight L. Dumond; “Abraham Lincoln.” 1970 — Burton R. Laub; “Will the Real Abraham Lincoln Please Stand Up?” 1969 — William A. Coblenz; Lincoln’s influence on modern times. 1968 — Hon. C. Douglass Buck, Jr.; excerpts from The Rivalry. 1967 — Edwin D. Coddington; “Lincoln’s Role in the Gettysburg Campaign.” 1966 — Robert L. Bloon; “The British Press and the Civil War.” 1965 — Walter F. Berns, Jr.; “Lincoln’s American Poetry.” 1964 — Marshall W. Fishwick; “Lincoln and the American Spirit.” 1963 — Frederick B. Tolles; “Lincoln and the Quakers.” 1962 — Rabbi Herbert E. Drooz; “Lincoln’s Better Angels.” 1961 — David Donald; “Abraham Lincoln and the Mastery of Men.” 1960 — William B. Catton; “Lincoln and the Meaning of the War.” 1959 — John A. Munroe; “Abraham Lincoln, Member of Congress.” 1958 — Rev. John W. Christie; “Another Look at Lincoln in Delaware.” 1957 — Film presentations on Lincoln. 1956 — Richard F. Lufkin; “Lincoln’s 1860 New England Merry-Go-Round.” 1955 — Louis A. Warren; “The Freedom Emphasis in the Gettysburg Address.” 1954 — Otto Eisenschiml; “Adventures in Lincoln Research.” 1953 — Harry E. Pratt; “Lincoln’s Finances.” 1952 — John H. Sachs; “Lincoln Learns from History.” 1951 — Robert L. Kincaid; “Lincoln’s Faith.” 1950 — Film showing of Abe Lincoln in Illinois. |
1949–19291949 — Jeter A. Isely; “Lincoln and the Press.” 1948 — Rev. John G. Mac Kinnon; “The Timelessness of Lincoln.” 1947 — Rev. John W. Christie; “Lincoln and Delaware.” 1946 — Jay Monaghan; “Anecdotes about Lincoln’s Foreign Policy.” 1945 — J. Duncan Spaeth; “The Heritage of Abraham Lincoln.” 1944 — Stewart McClelland. 1943 — John H. Sachs. 1942 — Multiple speakers; film showing of Abe Lincoln in Illinois. 1941 — Hon. Bruce Barton; guest Raymond Massey. 1940 — Paul N. Angle. 1939 — Honoré Willie Morrow. 1939 — Louis A. Warren. 1938 — Dixon Ryan Fox; Tallman Collection exhibited. 1937 — Robert Fortenbaugh. 1936 — Multiple speakers including Arthur E. Bailey and George H. Ryden. 1935 — Emanuel Hertz; “The Story of a Watch in Lincoln’s Early Life.” 1934 — Roy Nichols; “The Debunkers of Lincoln.” 1933 — Willis O. Stoddard, Jr.; Lincoln Day address broadcast. 1932 — Frank G. Tallman. 1931 — Hon. Thomas F. Bayard and George McIntire. 1930 — Ruby R. Vale. 1929 — William H. Lingelbach and multiple contributors. |