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March 5, 2010 -
Opening of “Forever Free” Traveling Exhibition Quickly Approaching
MOUNT OLIVE - Why did a nation founded on ideals of freedom and equality for so long tolerate one of the harshest labor systems the world has known? A new traveling exhibition that opens March 18 at Mount Olive College’s Moye Library looks for answers to this question. The exhibition traces Abraham Lincoln’s gradual transformation from an antislavery moderate into “The Great Emancipator,” who freed all slaves with a revolutionary war-time proclamation in 1863. “Forever Free: Abraham Lincoln’s Journey to Emancipation” will be on display at the library until April 30.
Moye Library is one of 63 libraries in the country, and only six libraries in the state, selected to host the traveling exhibit.
“We are pleased to have been selected as a site for this exhibition,” said Cynthia Hughes, cataloging librarian.
An opening reception for the event will be held on Sunday, March 21 from 2:00 to 4:00 PM in the Library. Period food will be served at the reception and Civil War-era music will be provided by the Mount Olive College Music Department.
“The Civil War and slavery are topics which must constantly be revisited in order to help 21st century Americans better understand their causes and more clearly see how their effects are still with us today,” stated Dr. Alan Lamm, chair of the Department of History and Social Studies. “This exhibit offers our community an opportunity to learn more about how Abraham Lincoln decided upon emancipation of the slaves, even as he tried to hold together a fragile coalition of states in order to preserve the Union. It is a revealing insight into the values, principles, and ideals that guided one of our greatest Presidents.”
“Forever Free” is nearly 700 feet long, and takes approximately 20 to 40 minutes to view in its entirety. The exhibit draws upon original documents in the collections of the Huntington Library 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.
Moye Library is offering free programs and other events for the public in connection with the exhibition. Local schools and community groups are invited to tour the exhibit, but are encouraged to call in advance to schedule the visit. Professors have volunteered to serve as guides to take groups through the display. For more details or to schedule a visit, please call Cataloguing Librarian Cynthia Hughes at 658-4916 or 658-7869. Moye Library is open seven days a week under regular operating hours.
SPECIAL PROGRAMMING:
Lincoln: The Formative Years
March 22 – 7:00 PM
Lecture by Richard Kennedy
Lincoln as a Political Leader
March 29 – 7:00 PM
Lecture by Ken Dilda
Lincoln as a War Leader
April 5 – 7:00 PM
Lecture by Alan Lamm
Lincoln’s Legacy
April 12 – 7 PM
Lecture by Jerry Sheppard
“The Killer Angels” by Michael Shaara
April 19 – 7:00 PM
Book discussion led by Linda Holland-Toll
Stories from the Underground Railroad
April 26 – 7:00 PM
Talk by Meltonia Loretta Young
Sponsored by the North Carolina Humanities Council
The traveling exhibition is made possible through major grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission.
Mount Olive College is a private institution rooted in the liberal arts tradition with defining Christian values. The College, sponsored by the Convention of Original Free Will Baptists, has locations in Mount Olive, New Bern, Wilmington, Goldsboro, Research Triangle Park, Washington and Jacksonville. For more information, visit www.moc.edu.
