On Thursday, October 16, 2025, The University of Illinois Springfield Center for Lincoln Studies presents the Mary and James Beaumont Endowed Lincoln Legacy Lecture Series featuring Jon Grinspan and Colleen Shogan speaking on the topic of Abraham Lincoln and the Age of Disruption.
Grinspan is author of Wide Awake: The Forgotten Force that Elected Lincoln and Spurred the Civil War and will deliver his talk, "The Age of Vigilance," on the many organizations antebellum Americans formed claiming to protect their disrupted society. These movements culminated with the pro-Lincoln Wide Awakes and the outbreak of the Civil War.
Colleen Shogan, who served as the 11th Archivist of the United States and the first woman in American history appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate to lead the National Archives, will bring our topic to the present and discuss our current age of disruption. Shogan's lecture will emphasize the vital role of cultural institutions, archives, libraries, and museums in preserving democratic values by safeguarding historical truth and public memory. Drawing inspiration from Abraham Lincoln and the Declaration of Independence, she will warn against the growing politicization of these institutions, arguing that nonpartisanship is essential for civic trust and national unity.
Admission to this event is free and open to the public, but registration is required.
Along with the Center for Lincoln Studies, this event is co-sponsored by NPR Illinois and Looking for Lincoln National Heritage Area.
Also check out other Arts events in Springfield, Fine Arts events in Springfield, Literary Art events in Springfield.
