Davis to Co-Host Ceremony Commemorating Lincoln's 2nd Inaugural at U.S. Capitol

Statement

U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis (R-Ill.) today announced, in conjunction with the Illinois State Society (ISS) and the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Foundation (ALBF), he will co-host a ceremony and reception in Statuary Hall, the room that served as the U.S. House of Representatives chamber when Lincoln served in Congress, in the U.S. Capitol at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 4, 2015, to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Second Inauguration of President Abraham Lincoln.

"As the representative of the 13th District, which includes part of the district Abraham Lincoln represented in Congress as well his home and resting place in Springfield, Illinois, I am honored to sponsor this event to recognize the life and legacy of our country's greatest president," said Davis. "President Lincoln's ability to unite rather than divide is the type of leadership our country needs and a quality I strive to emulate everyday as a member of Congress."

"The Illinois State Society of Washington, DC is honored to sponsor the commemoration of the 150th Anniversary of President Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address along with the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Foundation and Members of the Illinois Congressional Delegation," said Stuart Piper, President of ISS. "The history of Lincoln's Presidency is important for all Americans and is still relevant for modern times in seeking to unite our country and bind the wounds of war and suffering. The State of Illinois and the City of Springfield also are honored to be the location of President Lincoln's Library and Museum, along with his final resting place."

"It is 'altogether fitting and proper' that the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Foundation support and participate in this this tribute to and performance of Lincoln's century-and-half-old, but still majestically powerful, second inaugural," said Harold Holzer, ALBF chairman. "We are especially proud that two of our board members, former Rhode Island Chief Justice Frank J. Williams, and Professor Edna Greene Medford, will offer historical insights, and that the Foundation's gifted and generous friend, actor Stephen Lang, is set to re-deliver the great speech for us. It should truly be an event worthy of the great event it commemorates."

The ceremony will be held in Statuary Hall, the room that served as the U.S. House of Representatives chamber when Lincoln served his one and only term as an Illinois Congressman (1848-1850). It will be highlighted by a performance by noted actor Stephen Lang who will deliver Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address. Lang's many films include Gettysburg, Gods and Generals, and Avatar.

Welcoming remarks will be made by: Stuart Piper, President of ISS; The Hon. Rodney Davis, Congressman from Illinois's 13th District; and historian Harold Holzer, Chair of ALBF. Special comments on Lincoln's meaning for America and the State of Illinois will be delivered by The Hon. Ray LaHood, former Secretary of Transportation and Illinois Congressman. Additional remarks will be made by Edna Greene Medford, a professor of history at Howard University, and Frank J. Williams, former Rhode Island Chief Justice. Illinois' two U.S. Senators, The Hon. Richard Durbin, Deputy Minority Leader, and The Hon. Mark Kirk, will be in attendance. A reception in Statuary Hall will immediately follow the ceremony.

The event is open to the public but seating for the ceremony is limited and reservations are required. Details are provided on the attached invitation.

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