Lincoln’s journey exhibit opens at Whitman library

Garth Meyer | Aug 25, 20110

Gazette Reporters

“Forever Free – Abraham Lincoln’s Journey to Emancipation” is the focus of a new exhibit at Whitman County Library. The American Library Association presentation will be featured from Sept. 1 to Oct. 3, with an open house Sept. 1.

It is the result of an application for a grant filed in 2005. The Whitman County Library was chosen in 2006 for the touring exhibit, now in phase two, in which it has visited 63 libraries.

Colfax is the last stop on the current tour.

“It’s a real treat for us,” said library director Kristie Kirkpatrick. “We just don’t have these opportunities like the bigger cities.”

Many special features will surround the exhibit’s run, including an after-school program, an Underground Railroad quilting class, Book Club with Bill Reynolds featuring related books, movie nights with Civil War themes and more.

The downstairs exhibit consists of a 100-foot long panel with paintings and documents of Lincoln’s journey.

“Forever Free” draws upon original papers in the collections of the Huntington Library of San Marino, Calif. and the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. It was curated by John Rhodehamel, Norris Foundation Curator of American historical manuscripts at the Huntington Library.

Open House will be 2 to 4 p.m. Sept. 1 at the library. A ribbon cutting ceremony will be at 3:45. The reception will include all-American food and feature Whitworth University professor James Hunt.

Several times a year the library applies for various grants, and this is one that came through for project coordinator Jill Cocking.

The traveling exhibition is made possible through major grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission, created by Congress and charged with planning the national celebration of President Lincoln’s 200th birthday.

“It’s going to be a great opportunity for our residents and students,” said Kirkpatrick.