ACPL’s Rolland Center Explores Lincoln's Legacy with New Exhibit and Virtual Program

The Allen County Public Library's Rolland Center for Lincoln Research invites the community to explore the lasting impact of Abraham Lincoln through a new temporary exhibit and the latest installment of its popular “Lincoln at the Library” virtual lecture series this August.

Opening August 12, the free temporary exhibit “Carrying Lincoln's Legacy” examines the life of Robert Todd Lincoln, the president's only son to live into adulthood. As the last living connection to Abraham Lincoln, Robert Todd Lincoln devoted much of his life to caring for his grieving mother, participating in memorial events, and preserving his father's legacy. Available through the end of 2026 at the Rolland Center for Lincoln Research in the Allen County Public Library's Main downtown location, “Carrying Lincoln's Legacy” offers visitors an opportunity to discover the man many Americans knew simply as "Lincoln's son."

On Wednesday, August 19, at 6:30 p.m., the Rolland Center continues its “Lincoln at the Library” series with the free virtual presentation "The Meteor of the War: John Brown's Raid," presented by historian Jon-Erik Gilot. The program will explore John Brown's 1859 raid on Harpers Ferry. The raid is widely recognized as one of the defining events leading to the Civil War. Gilot's presentation will examine Brown's background, the planning and execution of the raid, its aftermath, and the question of whether John Brown truly was the "meteor of the Civil War." The program will be held via Zoom and is sponsored by the Friends of the Allen County Public Library. Registration is required for the virtual program and can be completed at www.acpl.info/lincolnatthelibrary. 

"These programs continue the Rolland Center's mission of making Lincoln scholarship engaging and accessible for everyone," said Jessie Cortesi, Senior Lincoln Librarian at the ACPL. "Whether visitors explore Robert Todd Lincoln's remarkable life in our gallery or join us online to examine one of the Civil War era's pivotal moments, they'll gain a deeper understanding of the people and events that shaped our nation's history."

For questions about either the exhibit or virtual program, contact Lincoln@acpl.info.

About Jon-Erik Gilot

Jon-Erik Gilot has worked in the field of public history for the past twenty years. He earned a degree in History from Bethany College and Master of Library & Information Science from Kent State University. A contributing historian at Emerging Civil War, his research has been published in books, journals, and magazines. His first book for the Emerging Civil War Series, John Brown’s Raid, was recently published by Savas Beatie. Today, he serves as curator at the Captain Thomas Espy Grand Army of the Republic Post in Carnegie, Pennsylvania, and works as a business archivist and records manager in Wheeling, West Virginia.