KALAMAZOO, Mich. (WOOD) — His legacy has lasted across generations. He appeals to all ages. In fact, Abraham Lincoln is many children’s entry point into history.
Lincoln made only one public appearance in Michigan, and it just happened to be in Kalamazoo. It was a time before Abraham Lincoln was a name in the history books.
It was 1856 when a clean-shaven man arrived in Kalamazoo to give a speech. He came to deliver a speech in what’s now known as Bronson Park on behalf another candidate for public office.
“It was a park where people often expressed their First Amendment rights, so speaking out on various issues,” said Cameron Brown, a member of The Kalamazoo Abraham Lincoln Project. “So, it has a long history of political activism, if you will.”
Lincoln’s name didn’t mean anything to anyone at the time. The obscure lawyer spoke to a crowd of about 10,000 people, Brown said.
“But in a larger sense he came to speak against the expansion of slavery, so that was the moral imperative of the day, and he spoke very strongly about that,” he told 24 Hour News 8.
The rest is history.
“We’re inviting Lincoln back to Kalamazoo,” Brown said.
Brown is part of The Kalamazoo Abraham Lincoln Project. Its goal is to raise $250,000 to install a statue of Lincoln in Bronson Park. Kalamazoo’s city commission already approved the privately-funded project. Brown says it’s about more than a statue.
“Lincoln is common ground,” he said. “He crosses all political divides. And as we look at the opportunity to elevate the public discourse in our communities today, Lincoln provides, especially for young people, a good example.”
Whether it’s a penny or a national monument, Lincoln is now etched into our collective memories. Now he’ll be remembered for his visit to Kalamazoo.
“We associate (Lincoln) with Washington, D.C., with Springfield, Illinois, and here in Michigan we have this wonderful gift of Lincoln’s visit,” said Brown. “No other community in Michigan can claim that. Kalamazoo can, and we’re going to build on it.”
Brown said the team hopes to have a final design August of 2019.
