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University of Richmond's Jepson Leadership Forum 2008-09 season to focus on "Abraham Lincoln's Legacy of Leadership"

August 13, 2008

The unique challenges facing Abraham Lincoln when he became president and the evolution of his leadership qualities and style while in office will be the focus of the 2008-09 season of the Jepson Leadership Forum at the University of Richmond.

In recognition of the 200th anniversary of Lincoln's birth, "Abraham Lincoln's Legacy of Leadership" will include lectures about Lincoln's personal and public personas, concerts and discussions on race and the implications of the war that defined his presidency.

The series begins with an overview of Lincoln's personal and public life by Oxford University American history professor Richard Carwardine, Sept. 12 at 7 p.m. in the Jepson Alumni Center. Carwardine's book "Lincoln: A Life of Purpose and Power" follows Lincoln's political career and development of his political agenda, including his changing views on slavery.

All programs are free and open to the public. Tickets are required and may be reserved two weeks before each event by calling (804) 289-8980. For group tickets, contact Sue Robinson Sain at (804) 287-6522 or jepson@richmond.edu.

Other programs in the series include:

  • "What Lincoln Was Up Against: The Context of Leadership," Edward L. Ayers, president, University of Richmond, Oct. 7, 7 p.m., Modlin Center for the Arts. Ayers, a historian of the American South, will discuss Lincoln's challenges as president, including the Confederacy, a divided Northern electorate and public opinion about the war.

  • "Abraham Lincoln and the Shaping of Public Opinion," Douglas L. Wilson, co-director of the Lincoln Studies Center at Knox College, Nov. 5, 7 p.m., Jepson Alumni Center. Wilson will discuss how Lincoln's literary ability helped him persuasively communicate with constituents.

  • "Music in Times of Civil Unrest," the Richmond Symphony, Jan. 30, 7:30 p.m., Modlin Center for the Arts. Inspired by the legacy of Abraham Lincoln, the concert will include musical compositions prominent during times of war and crisis.

  • "The Magnanimity of President Lincoln," William Lee Miller, ethics and institutions scholar, University of Virginia, Feb. 12, 7:30 p.m., Modlin Center for the Arts. Miller will discuss the evolution of Lincoln's leadership as he faced the contradiction between the founding fathers' ideals of equality and the reality of human slavery.

  • "The Promise of the New South: A Community Conversation on Race, Reconciliation and Richmond," Christy S. Coleman, president of The American Civil War Center at Historic Tredegar, and Linda Powell Pruitt, president of Leadership Metro Richmond, Feb. 26, 4 p.m., Jepson Alumni Center. Coleman and Pruitt will lead a discussion on the history and current reality of race and social justice.

  • "Tried by War: Lincoln as Commander in Chief," James M. McPherson, Civil War historian and professor emeritus of American history, Princeton University, March 12, 7 p.m., Jepson Alumni Center. McPherson will discuss Lincoln's lack of military experience and training, and his challenges of leadership as a wartime president.

  • "Conference: Lincoln and the South," March 12-14. Sponsored by The American Civil War Center at Historic Tredegar, the two-day event will include a panel discussion on Lincoln, a tour of the "In the Cause of Liberty" exhibit and a tour of Richmond.