Lincoln and the ‘Right to Rise’: Historian To Address Lincoln’s Legacy

February 15, 2009

No U.S. president has inspired as much research and ink as Abraham Lincoln. His personal biography, his leadership during the nation’s most dangerous national conflict, his tragic assassination, his eloquent speeches and writing – any of these alone distinguish him as a figure worthy of so much study. Among all the fascinating possibilities, Frank Coburn, former curator and director of the museum at Lincoln Memorial University in Harrogate, Tenn., was most inspired by the great man’s writings on the promise of the Declaration of Independence, which Lincoln felt granted all men the “right to rise” to their full potential, regardless of their origins. The Hoboken Historical Museum is bringing Coburn to the Shipyard Marina boathouse on the 13th St. pier on Sunday, February 15, at 4 p.m., for a talk in honor of Lincoln’s birthday.