Come on down the rabbit hole with us as we answer real questions from visitors to President Lincoln's Cottage that we wish we could spend a half hour answering. We always start with Lincoln and the Cottage, but we often end up in unexpected places… Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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This bonus episode accompanies episode 8.3, "Is the house haunted?" Michele Hanks told us which ghost tours she's seen handle the subject carefully, and Ben Alderson-Day let us know how folks can participate in his presence research.
For this episode, we're thinking through a question from visitors who've felt something extra at the Cottage. Along the way we explore the science of mysterious presences, the intersection of doubt and belief, and what makes a place feel like something more. Guests: Benjamin Alderson-Day Michele Hanks Tommy Griffiths www.lincolncottage.org
This bonus episode accompanies episode 8.2, "Weren't they friends?" Lucas Morel and Jon White told us about the surprises they discovered in researching their book about Lincoln and Douglass, and Kevin Bryant shared a story that highlights the separation Douglass had to keep between his personal and professional lives.
For this episode, we're looking into a question about the relationship between Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass. Along the way we learn how they talked about each other, what we know about what friendship operates among boys and men, and how good relationships can make for good democracy. Guests: Jonathan White Lucas Morel Kevin Bryant Niobe Way www.lincolncottage.org
This bonus episode accompanies episode 8.1, "Which chimney did Santa come down?" Ken Turino highlighted a few differences in Victorian Christmases, and Jeff Larry shared his adventures taking care of the Cottage chimneys.
For this episode, we're exploring a question from a young person surprised to see another fireplace on their tour of the Cottage. Along the way we check out the origins of Christmas trees, how to believe in things you can't see, and how many chimneys the Cottage actually has. Guests: Ken Turino Penne Restad Jeff Larry Vaughn Joy www.lincolncottage.org
During this week in 1862, the Lincolns moved out to the Cottage for the first time. Part of their reason for coming was to find solace in the wake of their son Willie's death earlier that year. To mark the anniversary, we're making public our live show from March! Guests: Alexandra Lord Matthew Laurens Brian Deer www.lincolncottage.org
For this episode, we're talking about a question asked by a college student hoping to make contemporary political connections. Along the way we learn the difference between agrarian, republican, socialist, and democrat, hear some of Lincoln's speeches, and discuss the process of unionization here at the Cottage. Guests: Harold Holzer Sean Griffin Haley Bryant www.lincolncottage.org
This episode accompanies episode 7.2, "Was it this hot when Lincoln was around?" Jason Samenow described the craziest DC weather he's ever experienced, and Jason Hauser told us about some… creative… historical remedies for coping with the heat. www.lincolncottage.org
For this episode, we're discussing a question from a slightly desperate visitor to the Cottage this past summer. Along the way we meet the Capital Weather Gang, find out the surprising cultural baggage heat carried in the 1800s, and see if we can actually do anything about how hot it is out there. Guests: Jason Samenow Jason Hauser Shawna Weaver www.lincolncottage.org
This episode accompanies episode 7.1, "Have you seen Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter?" Elizabeth Richmond-Garza told us why the director of the movie might have been particularly suited to this material, and we heard from all our guests - AND our staff - about whether they'd recommend the movie to others. www.lincolncottage.org
For this episode, we're addressing a question from a teenage student curious about how seriously we take ourselves. Along the way we talk about what vampire archetypes can mean for society, history on film, and how to think about whether something is "real" or not. Come along with us! Guests: Dr. Scott Magelssen Dr. Andrew Salvati Dr. Elizabeth Richmond-Garza www.lincolncottage.org
This bonus episode accompanies episode 6.3, "When was DC its unhealthiest?" While we were talking to the inimitable Dr. Ayanna Bennett, she was very clear that the Covid experience was a moment where the interconnectedness of everyone's health became clear. We asked her, how else did Covid affect way she and her team approach their work? www.lincolncottage.org Hosted on Acast. See…
For this episode, we're talking about a question we got after telling the story of Willie Lincoln's death from typhoid. Along the way we talk about the sanitary revolution - try washing your dishes!, equity in health resources across the city, and how to even measure what "healthy" means. Come along with us! Guests: Dr. Ashesh Patel Dr. Jim Downs Dr. Ayanna Bennett www.lincolncottage.org Hosted on…
This bonus episode accompanies episode 6.2, "Did Lincoln ever go to church?" John O'Brien shared more stories about the Lincoln family's life at New York Ave Presbyterian, and Dr. Corey Walker explained how Frederick Douglass and Sojourner Truth were grappling with how the god they believed in could let slavery happen. www.lincolncottage.org Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more…
For this episode, we're talking about a question we often get from visitors with a strong faith practice. On the way we talk about Mrs. Lincoln's Sunday best, the intersection of religion and politics re: slavery, and definitions of Christian nationalism. Come along with us! Guests: Richard Carwardine Holly Hollman John O'Brien Dr. Corey D.B. Walker www.lincolncottage.org Hosted on Acast. See…
This bonus episode accompanies episode 6.1, "Does anybody know what Lincoln's next big idea was?" Kate Masur explained more about Lincoln's willingness to collaborate with Congress, and Shannon Janean Currie made an intriguing connection between his time and our own. www.lincolncottage.org Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
For this episode, we're talking about a question we got from a supporter of the Cottage who was thinking about what Lincoln would have done with more time. On the way we talk about what political candidates need to do to connect with voters, how historians approach uncertainty, and how to know if your idea is a good one in the first place. Come along with us! Guests: Dan Barker Shannon Janean…
This bonus episode accompanies episode 5.3, "Why would Maryland do that?" Terry Alford told us more about Booth's weapon, and Alex Wood encouraged us to think deeper about place(s) of memory. www.lincolncottage.org Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
For this episode, we're talking about a question we got from a student trying to understand the reasons behind Lincoln's assassination. Along the way we'll encounter a troubling relationship to cats, one of history's most dramatic moments, and resources to stop radicalization in the present. Come along with us! Guests: Terry Alford Alex Wood Brian Hughes www.lincolncottage.org…
This bonus episode accompanies episode 5.2, "How fast did emancipation happen?" Greg Downs recounted other emancipation celebrations you may not have heard of, and General Blanchard ran us through how the National Guard's timeline for deployment works. www.lincolncottage.org Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
For this episode, we're talking about a question we got from a British couple curious about the aftermath of the Emancipation Proclamation. Along the way we wander through several alternate timelines, the experience of Black soldiers, and the contemporary work of the National Guard. Come along with us! Guests: Holly Pinheiro Jr. Gregory Downs BG Leland Blanchard www.lincolncottage.org Hosted on…
This bonus episode accompanies episode 5.1, "Was Lincoln gay?" Hugh Ryan shared an additional story of queer life in the 19th century, and Callie had a scenario she wanted to run by him to help understand how people in Springfield may have seen Lincoln and Speed. www.lincolncottage.org Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
For this episode, we're answering a question we've gotten from young people curious about Lincoln's relationships. Along the way we talk about gossipy Springfield, Illinois in the 1840s, Lincoln's close friend Joshua Speed, the invention of the term "straight," and how museums can tell queer stories. Come along with us! Guests: Charles Strozier Margaret Middleton Hugh Ryan www.lincolncottage.org…
This bonus episode accompanies episode 4.3, "Did Lincoln ever play basketball?" Curtis Harris told us a little more about how the aftermath of the Civil War affected the ideologies behind the invention of basketball, and Len Elmore spoke to us about how he tries to share the long arc of history with his students. www.lincolncottage.org Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
For this episode, we're answering a question from a young person impressed by Lincoln's height. Along the way we talk about the peach basket story, Lincoln's wrestling bouts, whether he would've been able to keep up in the NBA, and the intersection of sports and activism. Come along with us! Guests: Curtis Harris Tamika Dudley Len Elmore Lee Roy Smith www.lincolncottage.org Hosted on Acast. See…
This bonus episode accompanies episode 4.2, "Where's all the furniture?" Erin Carlson Mast explains how the interpretation team made the decision that it was going to be ok for visitors to sit on the antique furniture in the house, and tells the story of how the Cottage acquired some objects from when Lincoln was in residence. www.lincolncottage.org Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more…
For this episode, we're exploring one of our all-time top questions at the Cottage. Along the way we'll stop by the White House records, historical cooties, measuring authenticity, and defining what a museum even is, anyway. Come along with us! Guests: Matt Costello Erin Carlson Mast Rainey Tisdale Michael Atwood Mason www.lincolncottage.org Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more…
This bonus episode accompanies episode 4.1, "Was Lincoln a racist?" Richard Blackett told us about one of the obstacles folks promoting emancipation in the US faced before the Civil War, and Seth Levi told us about a project he's working on to help support voting rights in communities descended from the formerly enslaved, among others. www.lincolncottage.org Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy…
In this episode, we're talking through a question we've gotten from older visitors, documentarians, and teen students alike. Along the way we pass through the Lincoln-Douglas debates, monumental controversies, the power of anger, and lost historical perspectives. Come along with us! Guests: Richard Blackett Brian Dirck Gwen Westerman Seth Levi www.lincolncottage.org Hosted on Acast. See…
Join us for Season 4 of Q&Abe, appearing here in your feed February 10! For more information about President Lincoln's Cottage and our programming, visit us at www.lincolncottage.org. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This bonus episode accompanies episode 3.4, "Did Lincoln ever worry he was unqualified to be president?" Normally, for a bonus episode, we share with you portions of our initial conversation with our guests, but today's episode is a little different. We checked back in for a new conversation with Jared Peatman and Nancy Belmont just yesterday, after the election. What is the responsibility of the…
In this episode, we're exploring a question from a friend of the Cottage about Lincoln's self doubt and what it means to be qualified for the presidency. Encounters along the way include rowdy 1860s politics, imposter syndrome, the Constitution, and a formula for courage. Come along with us! Guests: Michael Green Jared Peatman Nancy Belmont www.lincolncottage.org Hosted on Acast. See…
This bonus episode accompanies episode 3.3, "Willie was his favorite, right?" As we work on answering the questions for the show, we sometimes have fascinating encounters that are outside the main episode, but we still want to get them in your hands. About two and a half years ago, our Executive Director Erin Carlson Mast was in conversation with George Saunders, the author of Lincoln in the Bardo…
In this episode, we're investigating a visitor question about Lincoln's relationship with his four sons, including Willie. While we're looking around, we run into mischief in the telegraph office, our innate need to be loved, and a new reflection on Lincoln's oldest son, Robert. Come along with us! Guests: Alan Manning Michael Mintz www.lincolncottage.org Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for…
This bonus episode accompanies episode 3.2, "Wasn't she crazy?" As we talk to our experts looking for answers to the questions for the show, we run into fascinating things sometimes that don't quite fit within the main episode - but we still want to share them with you all. We asked Anjan Chatterjee an existential question, and also to explain a little more about his field of neuroaesthetics as it…
In this episode, we're digging into a question we often get from visitors about Mary Lincoln and her mental health. Along the way we stop off at the orbitofrontal cortex, what it's like to lose an election, the physiology of grief, and the connection between spiritualism and the telegraph. Come along with us! Guests: Catherine Clinton Anjan Chatterjee Joanne Cacciatore Emily Cain…
This bonus episode accompanies episode 3.1, "Wait, she's black?" As we talk to our experts looking for answers to the questions for the show, we sometimes have conversations that might not quite fit within the main episode - but we don't think that should keep you all from hearing them. One of the things we've been hearing a lot, in all the conversations about race this summer, is an idea that "I…
In this episode, we're digging into a question a fifth grade student asked about Elizabeth Keckly, a formerly enslaved woman who became a renowned dressmaker to Mrs. Lincoln. Encounters along the way include colorism, the term "mulatto," racial passing, and Carolus Linnaeus. Come along with us! Guests: A.B. Wilkinson Jennifer Fleischner Karen Grigsby Bates Nina Jablonski www.lincolncottage.org…
Join us for Season 3 of Q&Abe, appearing here in your feed September 17! For more information about President Lincoln's Cottage and our programming, visit us at www.lincolncottage.org. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
We're currently conducting interviews to prepare for season 3. The other day, we spoke with Dr. Nina Jablonski, an anthropologist who studies the evolution and social positioning of human skin color. As you might imagine, the conversation was inflected by current events. Dr. Jablonski explained where our present-day ideas about "race" originated, how they took hold so firmly, and what their…
This bonus episode accompanies episode 2.4, "What's the Cottage worth?" While we're digging around researching the questions in the show, we sometimes run across things that don't fit within the main episode, but are too intriguing not to share. Having rediscovered the full specifications for building the Cottage, we asked our Senior Preservationist Jeff Larry to read them for us, and to shed some…
In this episode, we're investigating a question we often get from visitors: "What's the Cottage worth?" Come investigate with us as we pore through old banking records and talk to an insurance adjuster, an antiquities appraiser, and an architect who studies sacred spaces. Guests: Kevin Sullivan Allan Stypeck Julio Bermudez www.lincolncottage.org Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more…
This bonus episode accompanies episode 2.3, What's the difference between freedom and liberty? Our journey working to answer the questions for the show sometimes leads to dialogue, conversations, and side pockets that don't fit directly within the main episode, but are too fascinating not to share. Partway through our conversation with Didier Saillard, he had a question that resulted in a…
For this episode, we're investigating the question: "What's the difference between liberty and freedom?" Dig in with us as we talk to a historian of the English language, a native French speaker, and a legal expert in the anti-trafficking field. Guests: Michael Adams Didier Saillard Louis cdeBaca www.lincolncottage.org Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This bonus episode accompanies episode 2.2, If people saw that slavery was getting started, why didn't they stop it? In our conversations surrounding the questions in the show, we sometimes encounter stories that don't fit within the main episode, but are compelling enough that we don't want to keep them to ourselves. In talking through this question, several of our guests shared with us stories…
In this episode, we'll be digging into a question asked by a third grade student at the Cottage - "If people saw that slavery was getting started, why didn't they stop it?" Come down the rabbit hole with us as we talk to a historian of colonial Virginia, staff at the historic site of the 1619 landing, a former colleague, and two anti-racist facilitators. Guests: Kathleen Brown Robin Reed Terry…
This bonus episode accompanies episode 2.1, Who did Lincoln trust the most? As we work on answering the questions for the show, we run into all kinds of things that might not quite fit within the main episode, but we didn't think that should keep you all from hearing them. Sidney Blumenthal shared with us a gem of a story about Lincoln's first encounter with what would become the Republican Party,…
In this episode, we'll be working through a visitor question: "Who did Lincoln trust the most?" Come along with us as we talk to a renowned Lincoln scholar, an expert on Lincoln's political life, and a philosopher of trust. Guests: Harold Holzer Sidney Blumenthal Sanford Goldberg www.lincolncottage.org Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Join us for season 2, launching here in your feed on January 8! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
