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A reproduction of a document with an authentic President Lincoln Signature will be available for viewing in WIU Libraries' Civil War 150th Anniversary Commemoration display, "John George Nicolay and John Milton Hays: Regional Civil War-Era Lincoln Biographers," through the end of June in the Leslie F. Malpass Library Garden Lounge (Macomb campus). Above is a photo of the original document donated to WIU Libraries' Archives and Special Collections Unit by University Television's Roger Kent. Kent discovered it on a picture that had been hanging in his office for a few years. (See "UTV Employee Discovers Authentic Lincoln Signature" at www.wiu.edu/news/newsrelease.php?release_id=8878.)
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University Libraries Commemorates 150th Civil War Anniversary with Lecture, Displays

May 24, 2011

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MACOMB, IL -- Western Illinois University Libraries will recognize the 150th Anniversary of the Civil War with a lecture and displays over the next few weeks.

WIU Professor Emeritus Larry Balsamo will present "The Civil War, The People's War; One Historian's View" at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 8 in the Leslie F. Malpass Library Garden Lounge. Balsamo's lecture will focus on the Civil War causes, scope and the short- and long-range impacts on American society and history, with a focus on how the war affected the lives of the people who lived through it. Balsamo retired from Western in May 2008, after 40 years of teaching Civil War history.

In addition, two displays in the Malpass Library -- sponsored by the University Libraries' Archives and Special Collections Unit -- promote library collections and local historical artifacts during the Libraries' 150th Civil War anniversary commemoration. "Civil War Classics" is located on the second floor, between the new books area and the Garden Lounge. This display contains historical books about the Civil War. According to Kathy Nichols, a senior library specialist, over the past 150 years, approximately 65,000 books have been published on the Civil War, and the focus of this display is notable histories that help to make sense of the war effort, from both the northern and southern perspectives.

"John George Nicolay and John Milton Hays: Regional Civil War-Era Lincoln Biographers," the second display, is located in the small display located in the Garden Lounge.

"The items in this display come directly from the Archives and Special Collection Unit, and emphasize our region's role in the Civil War," Nichols said. "Items displayed include compilations of letters, diaries and biographies of President Lincoln, originally published by personal secretaries Nicolay and Hay, of Pike and Hancock counties, respectively, in west central Illinois."

Nichols added this display features a reproduction of a genuine Lincoln signature donated by University Television (UTV) Associate Director Roger Kent, who recently discovered it on a picture that had been hanging in his office for a few years. (See "UTV Employee Discovers Authentic Lincoln Signature.")

Balsamo's lecture and the Civil War displays are open free to the public. The displays in the Malpass Library are currently available and are open for browsing through the end of June.

For more information, contact Nichols at (309) 298-2717 or via email at K-Nichols@wiu.edu.

Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
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