The Association of Lincoln Presenters
2025 ALP Conference
April 24-27, 2025
Kalamazoo, MI

Conference Schedule

Thursday, April 24, 2025

*Note on attire: Period attire is optional on Thursday but encouraged for the evening session.

Beginning at 3:00 pm: Hotel check-in and conference check-in (hotel lobby)

3:00 – 5:00 pm: ALP Board Meeting (hotel conference room “Rose 3”)

5:00 – 7:00 pm: Dinner on own; free time; drop off silent auction items

7:00 – 9:00 pm: General Session (hotel conference room “Rose 3”) (public invited, especially members of KLI): Welcome; Trivia with the Lincolns; and Lecture: “Lincoln’s Winning Smile” by Cameron Brown (President of KLI)

Friday, April 25, 2025

*Note on attire: Modern (non-period) attire is recommended for Friday morning, especially for the ladies, as the two morning venues are limited in space. Attendees may wish to change into period attire for the afternoon session at the museum and/or for the ball in the evening.

7:00 – 8:30 am: Breakfast (hotel breakfast room)

8:30 – 9:45 am: General Session (hotel conference room “Rose 3”; conference attendees and invited guests only): Lecture/Panel on “Lincoln and Native Americans” by Dr. Scott Stabler, Professor of History and Social Studies at Grand Valley State University (Allendale, MI) and Matthew Zwart, Associate Attorney, Lennon Miller PLC (Kalamazoo)

9:45 – 12:00 noon: road trip to Schoolcraft, MI to tour Dr. Nathan Thomas home (Underground Railroad Museum)

12:00 noon – 1:30 pm: lunch (on own at local restaurants) / free time

1:30 pm – 5:00 pm: at Kalamazoo Valley Museum: tour of museum; Lecture: “Who Had Tea with Lincoln; Why Did Lincoln Come to Kalamazoo?” by Tom George (KLI Vice President) (public invited); and “Talking Shop: The Fine Points of Being Lincoln (or Any Other Historical Character)”: a discussion (“bull session”) to ask questions, share ideas, etc. about all aspects of historical re-enacting

5:00 – 6:00 pm: free time

6:00 pm – 7:00 pm: Dinner (hotel restaurant; reserved for our group)

7:30 – 9:00 pm: Civil War Ball led by dance callers Jim & Loretta McKinney (public invited)

Saturday, April 26, 2025

*Note on attire: Period attire is appropriate (and expected) for this day, especially as we will be having group photos taken.

7:00 – 8:30 am: Breakfast (hotel breakfast room)

9:00 am – 12:15 pm: events at Ladies’ Library Association (LLA) (LLA members invited): Lecture: “The Role of Jackson, MI in the Founding of the Republican Party” by Linda Hass (local historian/author based in Jackson); Introduction of new Lincoln book: “Texting Lincoln: A semi-true tale of an Illinois prairie lawyer’s return to Kalamazoo” by the author Tony Ettwein; Lecture on Ladies’ Library Association of Kalamazoo and Kalamazoo Ladies Soldiers Aid Society and their Sanitary Fair by Sharon Carlson (local historian/professor/librarian/archivist); Lecture: “Kalamazoo County and the Civil War – How One Michigan County Supported, and Didn’t Support, the War Effort” by Gary Gibson (local author); optional tour of LLA building

12:30 pm – 5:00 pm: events at Kalamazoo Nonprofit Advocacy Coalition (KNAC) and Bronson Park: Men’s and Women’s Luncheons/Sessions (Men: Lecture: “Engineers in the Civil War” / “The Story of the First Michigan Engineers and Mechanics” by Brian Conroy (historical re-enactor); Women: Mary Lincoln Business Meeting; Laura Keyes portrayal of Mary Harlan Lincoln; Bronson Park: tour and group photos; ALP Business Meeting

5:30 – 6:30 pm: Dinner (hotel restaurant; reserved for our group)

7:00 – 9:00 pm: events in Judy K. Jolliffe Theatre in The Epic Center (public invited and encouraged to attend): Sojourner Truth portrayal by Madelyn Porter; “Chronological Lincoln” play featuring various ALP members

On Saturday evening, the silent auction and consignment shop will remain open until 10:00 pm, at which time both events will end. Attendees should pay for their purchases and remove their items this evening.

Sunday, April 27, 2025

*Note on attire: Period attire is optional on Sunday

7:00 – 8:30 am: Breakfast (hotel breakfast room)

9:00 – 10:00 am: Worship Service (hotel conference room “Rose 3”)