Lorenzo Cultural Center Programming History
FREEDOM CONFIRMED
Exhibit Hours:
Tuesday, Thursday - Saturday: 10am-4pm
Wednesday: 10am-8pm
In partnership with the Detroit Historical Society, the Albert L. Lorenzo Cultural Center will present Freedom Confirmed, February through April 2024. Complete with presentations, artifacts and displays, it will inspire and educate visitors about Abraham Lincoln's role in the Civil War and the key events that shaped American democracy and rights.
Although no battles occurred on state soil, Michigan residents played a crucial role in the American Civil War. Learn why Michigan's role in the war was both important and heroic. How did women contribute to the Civil War? We welcome you to participate as we delve into these topics and more.
While the exhibit and presentations are free to attend, we kindly request that you preregister for the presentations to ensure that we have enough seating available.
Real to Reel: Lincoln 2012
February 12, 2024 | 1pm
Elton Weintz, moderator
With the nation embroiled in still another year with the high death count of Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln brings the full measure of his passion, humanity, and political skill to what would become his defining legacy: to end the war and permanently abolish slavery through the 13th Amendment. Having great courage, acumen and moral fortitude, Lincoln pushes forward to compel the nation, and those in government who oppose him, to aim toward a greater good for all mankind.
Professor Elton Wientz will give a short cultural and historical context to the film, followed by a Q&A after the film.
Come along with Lincoln enthusiast Kevin Wood as he transports us to the era of Lincoln’s presidency with the presentations "Abraham Lincoln: A New Birth of Freedom" and "Lincoln on Slavery, Emancipation and Equality." As one of the most admired and respected historical figures in our nation, President Abraham Lincoln is brought to life by Wood, who bears a striking resemblance to the president.
Abraham Lincoln: A New Birth of Freedom
February 13, 2024 | 11am
Kevin Wood, speaker
Listen to Abraham Lincoln’s own words about the history of the U.S. during his life, from his frontier upbringing to the Civil War years that almost tore the country apart but led to freedom for all. Learn how Mr. Lincoln rose from poverty to presidency with his self-education, determination and moral vision.
This program is most appropriate for adults and for children from six years old on up. It normally runs 60 minutes and is followed by an additional time of Q&A, photos, and informal interaction.
Lincoln on Slavery, Emancipation and Equality
February 13, 2024 | 1pm
Kevin Wood, speaker
Mr. Lincoln explores how his views on slavery, emancipation and equality changed over time and how they affected the white-black relations in his era. He summarizes the history of slavery in North America and the political debates and compromises over it. He shares his personal and political opinions and actions on these issues, such as the Emancipation Proclamation, the enlistment of black soldiers, the rejection of colonization and the support of black voting rights.
This program is most appropriate for adults and for older youth/teenagers (recommended for 12 years old on up); younger children are still welcome, but may not find the material particularly interesting. It runs 60 minutes and is followed by an additional time of Q&A.
About Kevin Wood
Mr. Lincoln is portrayed by Kevin Wood, a professional Lincoln presenter who bears a remarkable resemblance to "the Great Emancipator" and who is extremely knowledgeable about his life and times. Mr. Wood has been portraying Mr. Lincoln since the year 2000, and on a professional basis since 2015. He has made nearly 2,000 appearances in 33 states plus Washington DC and two foreign countries: Canada and Spain. Mr. Wood also writes an occasional blog – "Loath to Close… Still!" – which encourages others to reflect upon and learn from President Lincoln’s life and legacy. For more information, visit www.mrlincoln.com.
Traveling Collection
February 24, 2024 | 11am–2pm
ONE DAY ONLY!
Presented by The True Black History Museum
The True Black History Museum presents The Collection, a showcase of genuine and historical items that span from the 1600s to the present day. The Collection aims to honor the legacy of Black People and to inform others of their many achievements in various fields of human endeavor. We invite you to explore the African American history through these artifacts, from the ancient civilizations of Africa to the Transatlantic Slave Trade, Slavery, The Civil War, Reconstruction, Jim Crow, the Civil Rights/Black Power movement and the contemporary era. Don’t miss this one-day-only exhibit, on display in Community Hall, that honors and showcases the achievements of African Americans in various domains of human activity, such as the arts, sciences, sports, entertainment, education and politics.
True Black History Museum: As We Celebrate the Voice of the Ancestors
February 24, 2024 | 11am
A celebration of the Black American heritage through rhythmic movements featuring African American dancers, percussive sounds of African American drummers along with a rendition of the song of hope and freedom—The Black National Anthem.
This event is sponsored by:
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated® Omega Xi Omega Chapter and Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Incorporated® Tau Mu Nu Chapter.
Freedom Confirmed: President Abraham Lincoln's Courage to Create Change
February 24, 2024 | 1pm
Curator Talk
Rodney David Deal, curator
Learn about the Freedom Confirmed exhibit that presents a compelling analysis of President Lincoln’s moral transformation during his Civil War Presidency from its original curator, Rodney David Deal. Mr. Deal is also the founder of Freedom Confirmed, an organization that promotes unified diversity through education, and has spent many years on this topic.
North Star Gospel Chorale
February 29, 2024 | 1pm
Shout Hallelujah!
Join us for a performance that honors the religious celebration of enslaved people in the Deep South. The North Star Gospel Chorale uses music to show how enslaved people kept their community together, and their new way of praying that linked the African slaves' past with their American present.
Born Free & Equal: Michigan’s Colored Regiment
March 1, 2024 | 11am
Maurice Imhoff, speaker
"Let the black man get upon his person the brass letters U.S., let him get an eagle on his button, and a musket on his shoulder, and bullets in his pocket, and there is no power on the earth or under the earth that can deny that he has earned the right to citizenship"
– Frederick Douglass, April 6, 1863.
Following the Emancipation Proclamation, the U.S. military formed the United States Colored Troops. Even as black soldiers fought and died, their citizenship status remained uncertain. Racist policies limited opportunities for black soldiers to become line officers and paid them lower wages than whites. Join Maurice Imhoff who will cover the story of the first Michigan Colored Regiment, otherwise known as the 102nd United States Colored Troops, discussing its early authorization to present-time remembrance.
Abraham and Mary Lincoln: In Love and War
March 9, 2024 | 11am
Daniel Epstein, speaker
Lincoln's marriage has long been a subject of curiosity, wonder and controversy. This talk will offer some insight into the personal dynamics of the relationship and how it was shaped by Lincoln's career and the Civil War.
Museum Theatre
The Iron Brigade, Part I: The Recruit
March 13, 2024 | 11am
Jacob Musgrave is an apple farmer. His father and grandfather were apple farmers before him. He has a bright future ahead of him, a new wife, and a thriving business. But when General John Gibbon of the Army of the Potomac's Iron Brigade comes to Detroit in dire need of munitions and men, Jacob finds himself a private in the newly formed 24th Michigan Infantry Regiment, on his way to Fredericksburg to take on the Confederate Army!
This event is repeated on March 16 and April 4 at 11am.
Museum Theatre
The Iron Brigade, Part II: The Black Hat
March 15, 2024 | 11am
Three years later, a battle-hardened Jacob looks back at a career as a "Black Hat," a nickname given to the tenacious fighters in the Iron Brigade. He's risen through the ranks, and now must try to find his way in a post-Civil War world, in his own home, and while serving the most important post-war duty of his life. His world has been forever changed, and he must learn what that means to him.
This event is repeated on March 16 at 1pm and April 5 at 11am.
Copperheads and Radicals: Michigan Partisan Politics During the Civil War
March 15, 2024 | 1pm
Martin J. Hershock, speaker
A consideration of Michigan's politics during the Civil War era and the impact of that political culture on the state's waging of war with ties drawn to the national political landscape.
Museum Theatre
The Iron Brigade, Part I: The Recruit
March 16, 2024 | 11am
Jacob Musgrave is an apple farmer. His father and grandfather were apple farmers before him. He has a bright future ahead of him, a new wife, and a thriving business. But when General John Gibbon of the Army of the Potomac's Iron Brigade comes to Detroit in dire need of munitions and men, Jacob finds himself a private in the newly formed 24th Michigan Infantry Regiment, on his way to Fredericksburg to take on the Confederate Army!
This event is repeated on March 13 and April 4 at 11am.
Museum Theatre
The Iron Brigade, Part II: The Black Hat
March 16, 2024 | 1pm
Three years later, a battle-hardened Jacob looks back at a career as a "Black Hat," a nickname given to the tenacious fighters in the Iron Brigade. He's risen through the ranks, and now must try to find his way in a post-Civil War world, in his own home, and while serving the most important post-war duty of his life. His world has been forever changed, and he must learn what that means to him.
This event is repeated on March 15 and April 5 at 11am.
Soldiers in the Shadows: Michigan’s Company K
March 22, 2024 | 1pm
Eric Hemenway, speaker
During the Civil War, the largest all-Indian regiment in the Union Army was part of the Michigan's First Sharpshooters, Company K. Company K was primarily Odawa and Ojibway from the Lower Peninsula and fought in some of the pivotal battles towards the end of the war. Their story is unique in the fact their ancestors fought against the Americans and the federal government tried to remove them from Michigan in the 1830s. Why did they fight? What did they come home to? This talk explores the stories of this largely unknown group of fighters.
Dodworth Saxhorn Band
March 23, 2024 | 1pm
Civil War Music
If you have ever wondered what the music of the Civil War era sounded like, this is your opportunity! The Dodworth Saxhorn Band recreates the experience of 19th Century band music using authentic instruments together with dramatic segments, dialogue and comedy performed by their singers. Each of these segments ties together songs and instrumental pieces to tell a story and give an authentic Civil War-era experience.
Museum Theatre
The Iron Brigade, Part I: The Recruit
April 4, 2024 | 11am
Jacob Musgrave is an apple farmer. His father and grandfather were apple farmers before him. He has a bright future ahead of him, a new wife, and a thriving business. But when General John Gibbon of the Army of the Potomac's Iron Brigade comes to Detroit in dire need of munitions and men, Jacob finds himself a private in the newly formed 24th Michigan Infantry Regiment, on his way to Fredericksburg to take on the Confederate Army!
This event is repeated on March 13 and March 16 at 11am.
Museum Theatre
The Iron Brigade, Part II: The Black Hat
April 5, 2024 | 11am
Three years later, a battle-hardened Jacob looks back at a career as a "Black Hat," a nickname given to the tenacious fighters in the Iron Brigade. He's risen through the ranks, and now must try to find his way in a post-Civil War world, in his own home, and while serving the most important post-war duty of his life. His world has been forever changed, and he must learn what that means to him.
This event is repeated on March 15 at 11am and March 16 at 1pm.
We are Coming, Father Abram: Michigan in the Civil War
April 11, 2024 | 11am
Roger Rosentreter, speaker
When Michiganians learned that southerners had fired on the U.S. flag flying over Fort Sumter in the Charleston, South Carolina, harbor, they were not surprised. As Governor Austin Blair had declared weeks earlier, secession was "revolution, and revolution . . . is treason, and must be treated as such." Within weeks, the First Michigan Volunteer Infantry Regiment arrived in the nation’s capital where an appreciative president welcomed them with the words, "Thank God for Michigan." Eventually, more than 90,000 Michiganians served in Union blue, seeing action in all the war’s major battles and hundreds of lesser clashes. As one Detroiter later concluded, they performed the duties "every citizen owes to a free and fraternal government." Roger Rosentreter, Michigan State University history professor, discusses Michigan’s unique contribution to the war effort.
The Harder Part: Michigan Women Go to War
April 11, 2024 | 1pm
Roger Rosentreter, speaker
The important but underappreciated role Michigan women played in the Civil War included a widely acclaimed battlefield nurse, a teacher who earned the moniker "Michigan's Florence Nightingale," an accomplished war correspondent, and a twenty-two-year-old who concealed her female identity for two years to serve in the ranks. Naturally, most Michigan women stayed home—managing farms, raising children, organizing soldiers' relief societies and worrying about their loved ones. In so many ways, women contributed to suppressing the rebellion. Join us for this talk by MSU History Professor Roger Rosentreter.
Abraham Lincoln in the Kitchen: His Life in Six Dishes
April 12, 2024 | 11am
Rae Katherine Eighmey, speaker
This presentation is available both in-person and virtually.
Rae Eighmey's book Abraham Lincoln in the Kitchen looks at our 16th president's life through the extraordinary stories of what he ate, cooked and served. In this presentation, Eighmey provides a culinary perspective on the life and times of Abraham Lincoln, one of our nation’s favorite and most esteemed presidents.
Michigan Men in the Civil War
April 20, 2024 | 11am
Kim Crawford, speaker
Kim Crawford is a retired newspaper reporter and the author of two books on Michigan soldiers in the Civil War. Additionally, his experiences with Civil War Round Tables, as curator of an exhibit at the Sloan Museum, and as a speaker on the topic, have broadened his knowledge of Michigan’s Civil War soldiers and their experiences and views as citizen soldiers who served in the Union Army of the Potomac from 1861–1865.
Striking at the Root of the Rebellion: Lincoln, the Emancipation Proclamation & the Cause of Freedom
April 24, 2024 | 11am
Roger Rosentreter, speaker
On January 1, 1863, Detroit's African Americans enthusiastically celebrated the day's most momentous news–President Abraham Lincoln had used his war-powers to sign the Emancipation Proclamation; America's divisive "peculiar institution" was another step closer to its ultimate demise. Yet, Lincoln understood his actions required constitutional confirmation. In early 1865, Congress adopted the 13th Amendment declaring slavery was dead. In the days immediately after the war ended–as the defeated Rebels sought to re-enslave the four million freedmen–Congress affirmed the equal rights of America's newest citizens by adopting the 14th and 15th Amendments. Learn about this turbulent time from Michigan State University professor, Roger Rosentreter.
Freedom Confirmed: President Abraham Lincoln's Courage to Create Change
April 27, 2024 | 11am
Curator Talk
Rodney David Deal, curator
Learn about the Freedom Confirmed exhibit that presents a compelling analysis of President Lincoln’s moral transformation during his Civil War Presidency from its original curator, Rodney David Deal. Mr. Deal is also the founder of Freedom Confirmed, an organization that promotes unified diversity through education, and has spent many years on this topic.
5th Michigan Regiment Band – Event Cancelled
April 27, 2024 | 1pm
Music of the Civil War
108 years, from 1865 – 1973, Michigan’s Civil War era regimental band was just a memory. Then as a State of Michigan Bicentennial project, the original 5th Michigan Infantry Band was recreated in the form of the 5th Michigan Regiment Band. The band plays on antique and replica Civil War Instruments. Their repertoire of 1860’s music includes marches, polkas, schottisches, waltzes and songs arranged for the group by Lieutenant Colonel Guy Smith, Conductor.
