This Town Hall seeks to underscore the importance of education in the lives of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass; encourage people of all ages to enjoy and rededicate themselves to personal, community and national educational goals; and bring people other than the usual Lincoln history buffs – especially those between the ages of 13 and 35 – together for an entertaining and enlightening opportunity to celebrate the bicentennial of “our greatest president.” The event will feature presentations by young people based on the speeches and writings of Lincoln, Douglass and others inspired by them, as well as a panel of celebrated leaders from the worlds of academia and the arts. The Town Hall is also an opportunity to build and strengthen bridges between diverse community and national leaders committed to making sure everyone has equal educational opportunity.
Featuring:
- Robin Chandler, Associate Professor of African American Studies, Northeastern University; artist, poet and writer
- Hill Harper, actor/author
- Dr. Carol Johnson, Boston Schools Superintendent
- Peniel Joseph, Associate Professor of African and Afro-American Studies, Brandeis University; author
- Gary Ross, filmmaker
- John Stauffer, Professor of English and American Literature and Language, Harvard University; author
This is a co-sponsored event.
Conveners:
Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, Boston Public Schools-Dept. of Extended Learning Time Afterschool & Services DELTAS, Color of Film Collaborative, Elderhostel/Road Scholar, The Ella J. Baker House, Facing History and Ourselves, Charles Hamilton Houston Institute for Race and Justice, Massachusetts Foundation for the Humanities, The Massachusetts Historical Society, Matahari: Eye of the Day, Northeastern University Institute on Race and Justice, Primary Source, Teen Voices, Unitarian Universalist Urban Ministry, Vision Inc., Write Boston