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Al Taqui-Brown, Meka

English

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Eastern Illinois University
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Lincoln: In The News 2015 - Lincoln: The Constitution and the Civil War
9-4-2015
Student, professor explore portrayal in Lincoln
exhibition
Meka Al Taqui-Brown
Eastern Illinois University
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Recommended Citation
Al Taqui-Brown, Meka, "Student, professor explore portrayal in Lincoln exhibition" (2015). Lincoln: In The News. 7.
http://thekeep.eiu.edu/lincoln_2015_news/7
THE DAILY EASTERN NEWS 
MONDAY, SEPT. 14, 2015 
Student, pro,f essor 
explore portrayal in 
Lincoln exhibition 
· By MekaAI Taqi-Brown
StaffReporte� @DEN�l{ews
A ptesentation by_ an Eastern honors 
student and a 19th century American 
historian on Mary Todd LincOln Will 
be presented at 4:30 p:m. in Booth Li-·· 
brary Room #40. 
The pres��ti?n is part of the "Lln_­.coln: The Co.nstitution And The Civil 
War" altibition which began Sept. 4. 
Cayla Wagner� a seniol' history ma­
jor, and Bonnie Laughlin-Schultz, an 
assl.Stant ptofess�r ill the histof)' de:­
partment, _are givj�g.· a presentadon on 
Mary Todd Lincoln. 
The presentation is meant to show 
bow Mary Todd Lincoln is portrayed 
a.lld treated by historians. 
Wagner describes what inspired her 
in choosing this topic to include in the 
exhibit. 
"I am currently writing my under­
graduate honors thesis on Mary Lin­
coln in historiC:al fiction memory," 
Wagner said. "I have always been fas­
ci_nat�d-yYirh th� _19_gi _c�tu_ry, partic­ularly women from that rime period." 
Wainer said she. interned at the 
Ab!ahani-Lin_coln ]?residential Mu­
Sf:ilm over the summer to help learn 
more about Maiy Lincoln. 
"It wasn't until I took HIS 3900: 
Wo�eh in Am_eri�an- History here at 
Eastern, .taught by Bonnie Laugblin­
Schulrz, that I began to really study 
Mary Uncoln;' Wagrier said. Dnring the program, there will be a 
discussidll on Mary Lincoln and how she contribtited to historical fiction, 
aod ho.,,, her relationship with Lincoln 
Was tre:lted over the tlllles in his pres-
idency. 
Alorig with __ the presentation, there 
� be a di$c:USsi_on about how Mary Todd LincOln was portrayed in two 
differ�t historical sites: the Abraham 
ii_ncok Pi-esidential Museum and the 
-Abraha·m. Lincoln Home N�tional
Historic Sire in Springfield .
. "I chose_ this �opji; beCaUSe Mary
is easily traceable in both. People can
· think of historical fiction and muse­
ums as popular culture, and I find it
fascinating to look at histOrical figures
in popular culture," Wagner said.
Wagner chose this topic because
she felt that it would be relatable to
students.
"Historical fiction is slowly turning
away from concentrating on the rela­
tionship Mary and Abraham had, andmore on other aspects of Mary's life­
like her frie'ndships and social rivals,"
Wagner said.
Me/_<a A{ Taqi-Brown can be reached 
at 581-2812 or mrbrown7@eiu.edu. 


Student, professor explore portrayal in Lincoln exhibition

https://thekeep.eiu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1001&amp;context=lincoln_2015_news

Student, professor explore portrayal in Lincoln exhibition

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