Now Open in Our Ground Floor Gallery – Abraham Lincoln: His Life in Print

By Grolier Club on September 25, 2024

Selections from the David M. Rubenstein Americana Collection
September 25 – December 28, 2024

In many ways, books made Abraham Lincoln. He became a lawyer through self-disciplined study, won the White House through the concurrent rise of American popular publishing, and remains one of the most written about figures over the 160 years since his death. Abraham Lincoln: His Life in Print uses original printings of books and ephemera to create a sweeping, conceptual portrait of the man. The exhibition features important editions of Lincoln's greatest accomplishments, including the Emancipation Proclamation, the Gettysburg Address, the Cooper Union Speech, his debates with Stephen A. Douglass, and many others. More than 150 objects describe the life of Lincoln as he was born in the American West, captivated by literature, shaped by the portentous 1850s, tested by the American Civil War, responsible for the end of slavery, and murdered and mourned at the age of 56. Featuring materials from the David M. Rubenstein Americana Collection, the exhibition is curated by Mazy Boroujerdi, special advisor to the collection, and will be accompanied by a catalogue published by the Grolier Club.

Visit the exhibition online and view case images on Flickr.
Photo Credit: Cover of Abraham Lincoln: His Life in Print (Grolier Club, from Marquand Books). Cover design by Ryan Polich.