Lecture Series
The Friends of the Lincoln Collection regularly sponsor programs and events ensuring “Abraham Lincoln’s life and times, leadership, and his enduring values of unity, freedom, and integrity will continue to educate and enlighten current and future generations”–which is our mission. The Friends’ two core programs are lectures by nationally recognized Lincoln scholars during the spring and fall of each year.
For upcoming lectures, keep an eye on our News/Events page or join our email list!
The McMurtry Lecture
The R. Gerald McMurtry Lecture was established in 1978 to honor Dr. R. Gerald McMurtry, the second director of the Louis A. Warren Lincoln Library and Museum, now the Lincoln Financial Foundation Collection. Each year a distinguished Lincoln scholar is invited to Fort Wayne to present a paper on some aspect of the life of Abraham Lincoln. There have been over forty McMurtry Lectures—one each year except for 1993, 1994, and 2009. The 2010 and 2011 lectures were held at both the Indiana State Museum & Historic Sites and the Allen County Public Library. Since 2012, the lecture has been held solely at the Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne, IN.
The Rolland Lecture
The Rolland Lecture was established in honor of Ian and Mimi Rolland in 2012. It is an annual event which, like the McMurtry Lecture, seeks to bring significant Lincoln experts and scholars to speak at the Allen County Public Library.