'A national treasure.' ALPLM's copy of Gettysburg Address to go on display Friday
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An original, handwritten edition of the Gettysburg Address, one of five authored by Abraham Lincoln, will be on display at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum from Friday to Nov. 28.
The Springfield museum will offer free admission Saturday, the 159th anniversary of Lincoln’s historic speech at the dedication ceremony for the Soldiers’ National Cemetery in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The Battle of Gettysburg had been fought at the site over three days earlier in the summer of 1863.
The copy will be available to visitors in the ALPLM's Treasures Gallery.
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ALPLM's is known as the “Edward Everett copy” and was purchased by the state of Illinois for $60,000 through a contribution of pennies and nickels made by schoolchildren, as well as a donation from Marshall Field III in 1944.
Lincoln wrote out several copies of the speech, one of which was given to Everett, a diplomat and politician who spoke before the 16th president at Gettysburg. Everett spoke for two hours while Lincoln's address lasted just over two minutes.
The copies of the speech all have slightly varying text.
The Gettysburg Address is one of the most famous speeches ever given. Its stirring prose, comprised of just 272 words, have been studied by everyone from schoolchildren to scholars.
“This handwritten copy of his address is a national treasure. We hope offering free admission allows more people to appreciate it in person," said Christina Shutt, executive director of the ALPLM.
Seeing the document in person, said Brian Mitchell, the ALPLM’s director of research and interpretation, offers a rare chance to connect personally and reflect on what it asks of us as individuals and as a country.
"Most people know a few famous phrases ("Four score and seven years ago" and "of the people, by the people, for the people") from the Gettysburg Address, but they haven’t thought much about what the words mean or how they influenced the nation’s ideals," Mitchell said.
The display includes features to assist people with visual impairments. By scanning QR codes with their mobile phones, visitors will be able to hear a reading of the speech and the display label that explains the speech’s significance or see an easy-to-read text version of the speech.
The ALPLM offers a webpage that provides an up-close look at the presidential library’s copy of the speech, explaining its history and how it differs from other copies. It also examines the meaning and impact of Lincoln’s words.
The page includes educational resources for teachers and parents, a photo gallery and links to other sources of information about the address.
For more information, visit the ALPLM website.
Contact Steven Spearie: 217-622-1788, sspearie@sj-r.com, twitter.com/@StevenSpearie.
This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Springfield copy of the Gettysburg Address to go on display Friday
