Happy 200th Abraham Lincoln!

Image from The Library of Congress on Flickr.


Last night, I attended Let Freedom Sing! with some friends. This citywide musical celebration was organized to honor President Lincoln's 200th Birthday. We blew into the Prairie Capital Convention Center on a cold night wind. The feeling inside was of warm excitement. The seats began to fill. Preconcert music began to fill the air and musicians began to parade by to take their places. A sea of colored robes from area churches and colored shirts from area schools flowed into the chairs at the front. Instruments marched by as the Springfield High School band and the Illinois Youth Symphony joined the Illinois Symphony orchestra. Jerry Lambert provided a welcome and the show began. Patriotic fever filled the air as the color guard brought in the American flag followed by our national anthem and the Pledge of Allegiance. The music was wonderful and included many opportunities for the audience to participate. We sang an impromptu Happy Birthday to President Lincoln prior to his reading of the Gettysburg Address while the Symphony provided accompanying music. Finally, Abraham Lincoln borrowed the baton from Karen Lynne Deal and proceeded to enthusiastically direct all the musicians in the final song of the evening. It was a wonderful combination of church and state to honor a great President.

Check out the cool picture of Lincoln's spotlighted home.