Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Inaugural Ceremony
February 12, 2008
Speakers scheduled for the "Official National Inaugural Ceremony" included:
- First Lady Laura Bush (key note speaker)
- Secretary of Interior Dirk Kempthorne
- Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear
- LaRue County Judge and ALBC Commissioner Tommy Turner
- ALBC Co-Chair Harold Holzer
- U.S. Congressman Ray LaHood
- U.S. Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr.
- U.S. Congressman Ron Lewis
- Reverend William Curle
Prepared remarks can be found below:
.jpg)
Mrs. Laura Bush is actively involved in issues of national and global concern with an emphasis on education, healthcare and human rights. A strong advocate for the national parks, Mrs. Bush helped to start Preserve America, a national initiative to protect our cultural and natural heritage. As Honorary Chair of Preserve America, she highlights preservation efforts across the country and encourages Americans to become involved in preserving, protecting and restoring natural and historic sites for the enjoyment of future generations.
¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤
.jpg)
Secretary Kempthorne leads the Bush administration’s efforts to conserve land, water, and air resources and support our nation’s historic and cultural sites. Secretary Kempthorne is a strong advocate of partnership and community efforts. He is an avid Lincoln enthusiast, and while serving as Governor of Idaho simultaneously served on the ALBC's Governors' Council. As Secretary, he oversees the National Park Service, which administers many of the Lincoln sites in the United States.
¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤
A native of Dawson Springs, Kentucky, Governor Steve Beshear is dedicated to achieving the priorities of sustainable economic growth, lifelong learning opportunities, and affordable health care for America’s “first frontier.”
Remarks of Governor Beshear
Prepared for delivery
February 12, 2008
Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historic Site
Hodgenville, Kentucky
Welcome to the Commonwealth of Kentucky for the opening of the nation’s two-year celebration of the man many people call our greatest president.
The setting is fitting.
An array of states claim Abraham Lincoln as their own. Here in Kentucky, we’re proud to be considered first.
President Lincoln’s Kentucky ties are numerous and strong:
Here in tiny Hodgenville – then Hodgen’s Mill – Lincoln was born in 1809 in humble surroundings on Sinking Spring Farm, in a rude cabin similar to the one enshrined here.
Years earlier Kentucky’s soil had absorbed the spilled blood of Lincoln’s grandfather, the captain after whom the president was named, when he was killed in an Indian attack.
Here too was later buried his younger brother, Thomas, who like many frontier children never made it out of childhood.
Here in Kentucky the young Abe Lincoln first attended school in a log building, before the demands of a hard-scrabble farm life interfered and he was kept home to till the rich Kentucky earth.
Here the Lincolns attended church, Little Mount Baptist Church, and saw firsthand the evils of slavery.
From Kentucky came Lincoln’s wife, Mary Todd, and his wife’s family, the wealthy and highly respected Todds … a family whose division during the agonizing Civil War was a microcosm of the split that rent the entire nation.
Here was born Lincoln’s best friend and confidant, Joshua Speed, and Speed’s brother James, who later became Lincoln’s attorney general.
From Kentucky too came his three law partners, John Todd Stuart, Stephen T. Logan and William H. Herndon.
And from Kentucky came Lincoln’s political idol, Henry Clay, whom Lincoln borderline worshipped and whom he once famously called a “beau ideal of a statesman.”
In short, here in the Bluegrass State were cast the first molds that shaped the life of the man the nation, indeed the world, now reveres.
Later today we will unveil the first marker on a new Heritage Trail that will pay homage to the various places, people, events and social forces in Kentucky that influenced Lincoln.
The trail and Kentucky’s signature Lincoln historic sites recognize that, as Lincoln himself wrote, “I, too, am a Kentuckian.”
But Kentucky gladly shares him.
For no one state can rightfully claim sole ownership of the president whose bold leadership and undaunted courage guided this country through some of its darkest and most difficult days.
Lincoln belongs to all of us.
And our reverence remains strong.
From his humble birth to his violent death, the legends surrounding our nation ’s 16th president – legends that as we know have sometimes been buoyed by utter myth – have over the years only increased in intensity.
Honest Abe. … The rail-splitter. … The Great Emancipator who freed the nation of its social shame. … The passionate orator. … The boy who worked to pay for a borrowed book ruined by the rain.
Lincoln’s different faces resonate inside each of us.
Kentucky is proud and honored to have been chosen to kick off this two-year commemoration, a commemoration that will include symposiums, TV programs, exhibits, re-enactments, music and an array of other events.
May these events rejuvenate Lincoln’s legacy.
May his memory shine bright, his ideals stand firm and his achievements never be forgotten.
Lincoln’s words – from the Gettysburg Address to his inaugural addresses – have long inspired this nation.
I find his words at Cooper Union in New York, in an 1860 speech that propelled him to the presidential nomination, to be a fitting prayer of guidance for those of us called to lead in difficult times.
Said Lincoln: “Let us have faith that right makes might, and in that faith let us, to the end, dare to do our duty as we understand it.”
Thank you for listening, and for coming.
¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤
.jpg)
A native Kentuckian, Judge Tommy Turner is a member of the national ALBC and is co-chair of the Kentucky ALBC. He also serves as Chair of the Lincoln Trail Area Development District. In 1989, Judge Turner and local volunteers formed the Lincoln Museum in downtown Hodgenville. He spearheaded efforts to add the Abraham Lincoln Boyhood Home and Knob Creek Farm to the National Park Service.
Remarks of Judge Tommy Turner
LaRue County (Kentucky) Judge and ALBC Commissioner
Prepared for delivery
February 12, 2008
Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historic Site
Hodgenville, Kentucky
Welcome to the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission’s “virtual inaugural ceremony.” My name is Tommy Turner. I'm the County Judge in LaRue County, Kentucky, home of the Abraham Lincoln birthplace. I’m also a commissioner on the National ALBC and the Master of Ceremonies for the Lincoln Bicentennial Inaugural.
Abraham Lincoln spent a little more than his first seven years in Kentucky, but his roots here were deep. Many years later he declared, “I, too, am a Kentuckian.” He is a source of tremendous pride to our state. Personally, his dedication to America’s ideals inspired me to practice law and stand up for what is right. As the years have passed, my admiration for Lincoln, both professionally and personally, has only increased.
On behalf of the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission and the citizens of Kentucky, I welcome you to the "Lincoln Bicentennial Virtual Inaugural Ceremony." Dedicated to recreating our Lincoln bicentennial inaugural event at the Birthplace National Historic Site, this interactive page allows you to access the words, performances and the overall tribute that was scheduled for February 12, 2008.
Simply click where you want to go and experience our virtual commemorative tribute.
Special thanks goes to the NPS, the White House, the Department of Interior, the American Spiritual Ensemble, Saxton’s Cornet Band, and all who made this page possible.
We hope these pages reinvigorate your interest in the life, ideals and spirit of Abraham Lincoln.
¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤
.jpg)
Holzer is one of the leading authorities on President Abraham Lincoln. He has authored and co-authored 30 books on Lincoln and the Civil War era. Holzer’s book Lincoln at Cooper Union: The Speech That Made Abraham Lincoln President won the prestigious Lincoln Prize in 2005. He has also contributed many articles to some of the nation’s most popular magazines and journals. He has frequently appeared on The History Channel and C-SPAN. Holzer is also known for his Lincoln and Civil War lecture series, and penned the acclaimed Lincoln Seen and Heard and The Lincoln Family Album productions. Holzer is Co-Chair of the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission.
Remarks of ALBC Co-Chair Harold Holzer
Co-Chairman, ALBC
Prepared for delivery
February 12, 2008
Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historic Site
Hodgenville, Kentucky
Mrs. Bush, Judge Turner, Governor, Senators and Congressmen, and distinguished guests:
In 1861, Abraham Lincoln called this very spot – rare grandeur – “the place of my nativity.” By then he was President-elect, and on his way to Washington, not knowing, “when or whether ever” he might return.
He never did. Much as he longed for the chance to speak here in Kentucky one more time, to ask for the chance to lead without disunion, to stop the spread of slavery without war, the chance never came. Yet his remark shows that as clearly as he saw his destiny – and the nation’s – he was proud of where he began his personal journey. And today, we feel that grandeur, too.
On behalf of the U.S. Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission, which I have the honor to co-chair with Senator Dick Durbin and Congressman Ray LaHood, and on behalf of all our Commissioners and Executive Director Eileen Mackevich, we are proud to be here on this sacred site to launch the national observance of Lincoln’s 200th birthday.
To paraphrase Lincoln – from another moment on his journey to greatness – “it is for us the living to be dedicated to the unfinished work” that those who sacrificed so much for our country “have thus far so nobly advanced.” That timeless phrase – “unfinished work” – is the rallying cry of the bicentennial.
For us, Lincoln is a figure worthy not only of celebration, but emulation; not only of recognition, but of relevance; not only of memory but of moment.
Today, we begin two years of broadcasts with our partners at C-SPAN, two years of conferences, teach-ins, musical programs, poetry and an avalanche of new books. In a presidential election year or any other year, nothing could be more nourishing for the body politic.
That speech Lincoln never gave here ended with the phrase: “I, too, am a Kentuckian.” Today, as we gather to honor Lincoln and launch his bicentennial, we all feel like Kentuckians – humbled to be standing where his astonishing life began, the life that proved that there are no barriers to the American dream, no responsibility greater then aspiring to complete the unfinished work of freedom.
To paraphrase him one more time: In honoring him, we do honor to ourselves. We invite you, beginning today, to join us on that journey as we remember Lincoln’s past to illuminate our future.
Thank you.
¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤
Congressman LaHood represents the people of the 18th Congressional District of Illinois, which is largely the same district Abraham Lincoln represented during his service in Congress. In the 110th Congress, LaHood continues his service on the House Appropriations Committee, the panel that oversees federal discretionary spending. He is serving his seventh term.
Remarks of U.S. Representative Ray LaHood
Co-Chairman, ALBC
Prepared for delivery
February 12, 2008
Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historic Site
Hodgenville, Kentucky
Born of humble beginnings in Hardin County, Kentucky, on February 12, 1809, Abraham Lincoln rose to become one of our most revered Presidents, demonstrating true courage during the Civil War which shook the foundations of our troubled nation.
After spending his early years in Kentucky and Indiana, Mr. Lincoln moved to Illinois and established himself there as a surveyor, lawyer, and legislator before moving on to run for the office of President. It is that period of his life with which I am most familiar and inspired me to work for passage of legislation establishing the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission to plan the celebration of his birth in 2009. Much of the district represented by Lincoln in the U. S. House of Representatives is now represented by me in the same House.
Riding the circuit in his early career, and later as he campaigned throughout the state, Lincoln drew on his humble beginnings, simple style of writing and speaking, and persuasive arguments to sway the people to his way of thinking. What began as life in a log cabin and ended up in the White House is a story worth re-telling, and it is my hope that with this bicentennial celebration of his birth, we can all learn from studying his life, his words, and his legacy.
We owe a debt of gratitude to our fellow Commissioners, Judge Tommy Turner and Senator Jim Bunning, for all that they have done to prepare for this wonderful opening celebration in Louisville and Hodgenville, Kentucky. And, we owe a special thanks to the many Kentuckians who have worked tirelessly with them throughout the planning process. Secretary Kempthorne and his team with the National Park Service have provided invaluable assistance, and I thank them also for their willingness to host us at Hodgenville and their dedication to planning every detail.
In conclusion, Abraham Lincoln’s work is unfinished. Lincoln began a conversation about race and equal rights, but there are still major challenges to overcome. Join us in commemorating the successes of his life and in exploring the ways that we can complete his work. Join us in creating and promoting programs targeted to youth, new immigrants and the African-American community. Join us in expanding public recognition of challenges Lincoln faced, the way he dealt with them, and the leadership qualities he possessed. Join us in highlighting his struggle for freedom, equality and opportunity that is ongoing. Join us in emphasizing Lincoln’ s ideals of equality and justice, all still valid today. Join us in cultivating historical literacy through comprehensive study, Join us in enlarging heritage tourism by mapping major Lincoln sites and linking them. Join us in supporting young scholars’ new research and its discussion in schools and libraries. Join us in promoting public participation in the commemoration.
Thank you.
¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤
U.S. Representative Jesse L. Jackson, Jr. represents the people of the 2nd Congressional District of Illinois on Chicago’s far south side. Now in his seventh term, Jackson was elected in 1995, the 91st African American ever elected to Congress. In the 110th Congress, Jackson will continue his service on the House Appropriations Committee. He is the author of A More Perfect Union: Advancing New American Rights, an analysis of race, civil rights, and economics.
Remarks of U.S. Representative Jesse L. Jackson, Jr.
ALBC Commissioner
Prepared for delivery
February 12, 2008
Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historic Site
Hodgenville, Kentucky
Today, we gather to commemorate a man whose leadership, wisdom, and belief preserved a nation. Committed to fulfilling the promise of our Founding Fathers, Abraham Lincoln's message was simple and true. It was this: "that this nation shall have a new birth of freedom - and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."
In this wonderful setting and with these distinguished guests, I am grateful for this unique opportunity to honor a man whose vision and dedication saved our country and made the Union more perfect.
My family's experience in the civil rights movement, which Lincoln so inspired, has shaped my thinking and guided my role as a U.S. citizen and a member of Congress. I believe Lincoln's leadership as president, his dedication as a man, his wisdom, and his belief in the bedrock American principles of freedom and democracy are all guideposts we can, and should, continue to follow today.
Just as slaves fleeing to freedom were guided by the North Star, Lincoln can be our North Star to a more perfect Union. He continues to offer leadership and timeless words of wisdom for our day.
And so on behalf of the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission, I urge all of you to remain conscientious and vigilant of the "the great task remaining before us." Liberty, unity and equality are the foundations of strength and the essence of progress. Let us not just celebrate this great man's birthday, but let us celebrate his commitment to American principle.
Thank you.
¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤
.jpg)
Reverend William Curle is a native Kentuckian and the Second Vice Moderator of the Zion District Association.
Benediction of Reverend William Curle
Second Vice Moderator of the Zion District Association
Prepared for delivery
February 12, 2008
Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historic Site Hodgenville, Kentucky
Eternal God, our heavenly Father, It is with joy and praise that we come to this place in history. We thank you,oh Lord for the accomplishments that are bestowed upon us through your divine inspiration through our native son and former President Abraham Lincoln.
Lord we thank you for the way your hand was constantly upon Him and we ask that you also use us to place that same hand upon us and we
strive to be the servant that will show a common freedom for all mankind. Let us listen closely to that voice that lets us know we are your children,
striving for your will.Bless all that are with us in prayer today as we begin this glorious celebration to honor this great man.
In your glorious name and honor we do pray, Amen.
¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤
