Michael Burlingame, a noted Abraham Lincoln scholar and historian, will discuss Lincoln’s life and significance when he visits the Thomas D. Clark Center for Kentucky History in Frankfort on Monday, February 16, 2009 at 6:30 p.m. This ticketed dinner event is the culminating piece of the Kentucky Historical Society’s three-day series of February events commemorating the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial.

Burlingame, who has edited or authored twelve books investigating the life and times of Lincoln, will come to Frankfort as a second stop on his book tour for his long-anticipated biography, Abraham Lincoln: A Life. As Doris Kearns Goodwin has noted, “Lincoln scholars have waited anxiously for this book for decades. Its triumphant publication proves it well worth the wait. No one in recent history has uncovered more fresh sources than Michael Burlingame.”

“It is a privilege to host Dr. Burlingame here at the Thomas D. Clark Center for Kentucky History in Frankfort,” said KHS Executive Director Kent Whitworth. “We are delighted to have a Lincoln scholar of his caliber in Kentucky on Presidents’ Day during the Lincoln Bicentennial year.”

Tickets for the event, which includes dinner and a book signing following Burlingame’s presentation, are $25 for students, $35 for KHS members, and $45 for all other patrons. Table reservations are also available. Seating is limited, so reserve space now by calling Julia Curry at (502) 564-1792 or emailing Julia.Curry@ky.gov.

KHS will kick off its February events on February 12, 2009, Lincoln’s 200th birthday, when the Kentucky General Assembly will be invited to honor Lincoln with a joint session at the Old State Capitol in Frankfort. After the session, legislators and special guests are invited to attend a reception featuring the Kentucky State University Gospel Choir at the Thomas D. Clark Center for Kentucky History.

KHS will continue the celebration on February 14 with Family Fun Day, an event held in cooperation with Kentucky Educational Television. Join Clifford the Big Red Dog and participate in activities reflective of the Lincoln era, including hands-on games and other children’s programming, and dancing with the Berea Festival Dancers. Chat with Abraham and Mary Todd Lincoln presenters and take the opportunity to visit Beyond the Log Cabin: Kentucky’s Abraham Lincoln, the commonwealth’s signature Lincoln Bicentennial exhibition.

The Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial, a national commemoration, began in February 2008 and closes on February 12, 2010. Communities, historic sites, libraries, and schools across the Commonwealth have planned events and activities for the commemorative period.

Established by executive order in 2004 and administered by the Kentucky Historical Society, the Kentucky Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission is charged with organizing and coordinating the state’s Bicentennial activities. To find out more about these events and to explore resources and information provided by the Kentucky Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission, visit www.kylincoln.org.

An agency of the Kentucky Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet, the Kentucky Historical Society, since 1836, has provided connections to the past, perspective on the present, and inspiration for the future. KHS operates the Old State Capitol, the Kentucky Military History Museum, and its headquarters, the Thomas D. Clark Center for Kentucky History. Since 1999, the thirty-million-dollar Center has welcomed more than one million visitors. For more information about the Kentucky Historical Society and its programs, visit the Web site at www.history.ky.gov.