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

Association of Lincoln Presenters 2025 Annual Conference

The Association of Lincoln Presenters (ALP) is an organization of men and women dedicated to bringing Abraham and Mary Lincoln to life. Through presentations that educate, entertain, and inspire, members honor the words and works of the Lincolns. The ALP mission is to preserve the legacy of Abraham and Mary Lincoln, to honor their words and works, and to walk in their footsteps.

We hold a conference each year at some location important to the Lincolns’ story. We are very pleased that our 2025 conference will take place in Kalamazoo, MI, the only city in Michigan in which Abraham Lincoln gave a speech. The conference is being sponsored in part by the Kalamazoo Lincoln Institute (KLI). We are expecting a score (20) of Abraham Lincolns and a baker’s dozen (13) of Mary Lincolns, in addition to two General Ulysses S. Grants, and one each of Robert Todd Lincoln, Jefferson Davis, and Annie Oakley!

EVENTS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Registration is not required for these events, but some venues have limited capacity and so attendees are encouraged to arrive early.

Thursday, April 24, 2025

7:00 – 9:00 pm at Hilton Garden Inn (Conference Room “Rose 3”)

• 7:00 – 7:15 pm: Welcome
• 7:15 – 8:00 pm: Trivia with the Lincolns (with mixed teams of “locals” and “Lincolns”!)
• 8:00 – 8:15 pm: break
• 8:15 – 9:00 pm: Lecture: “Lincoln’s Winning Smile” by Cameron Brown (KLI President)

 

Friday, April 25, 2025

2:45 – 3:45 pm at Kalamazoo Valley Museum (Theatre): Lecture: “Why Did Lincoln Come to Kalamazoo? And Who Had Tea with Lincoln?” by Tom George (KLI Vice President)

7:30 – 9:00 pm at Hilton Garden Inn (Garden Grille Restaurant): Civil War Ball led by dance callers Jim & Loretta McKinney; no prior knowledge of 19th century dancing is required – we will teach you!; no partner is required; period dress is encouraged but not required – come as you are!

 

Saturday, April 26, 2025

9:00 am – 12:20 pm at Ladies’ Library Association (LLA; in case of full capacity, LLA members will have priority)

• 9:00 – 9:35 am: Lecture: “The Role of Jackson, MI in the Founding of the Republican Party” by Linda Hass (local historian/author based in Jackson)
• 9:35 – 9:50 am: Introduction of new Lincoln book: “Texting Lincoln: A semi-true tale of an Illinois prairie lawyer’s return to Kalamazoo” by local author Tony Ettwein
• 9:50 – 10:00 am: break
• 10:00 – 10:50 am: Lecture: “The Ladies’ Library Association of Kalamazoo and the Kalamazoo Ladies Soldiers Aid Society and their Sanitary Fair” by Sharon Carlson (local historian/librarian/archivist)
• 10:50 – 11:00 am: break
• 11:00 – 11:50 am: Lecture: “Kalamazoo County and the Civil War – How One Michigan County Supported, and Didn’t Support, the War Effort” by Gary Gibson (local author)
• 11:50 am – 12:20 pm: break (10 min.); Tour of LLA Building (20 min.)

1:00 pm – 2:00 pm at Kalamazoo Nonprofit Advocacy Coalition (KNAC; located inside First Baptist Church)

• Men (Comedy Crawlspace Theatre): Lecture: “Engineers in the Civil War” / “The Story of the First Michigan Engineers and Mechanics” by Brian Conroy (historical re-enactor from IL)
• Women (Training Room): Portrayal of Mary Harlan Lincoln (wife of Robert Todd Lincoln) by Laura Keyes (historical re-enactor from IL and ALP member)
• afterwards, we will tour Bronson Park including group photos in front of the new Lincoln statue

7:00 – 9:00 pm at The Epic Center (Judy K. Jolliffe Theatre)

• 7:00 – 7:50 pm: Portrayal of Sojourner Truth by Madelyn Porter (historical re-enactor from Detroit; WMU alumnus)
• 7:50 – 8:00 pm: intermission
• 8:00 – 9:00 pm: “Chronological Lincoln” Play featuring 14 ALP members from around the USA

Sunday, April 27, 2025

9:00 – 10:00 am at Hilton Garden Inn (Conference Room “Rose 3”): Worship Service with speaker Chaplain Edward Hass of Jackson, MI

Local Sponsors/Collaborators

The conference is being sponsored in part by the Kalamazoo Lincoln Institute (KLI), which has provided a generous financial contribution to cover many of the conference expenses. The conference is also being supported by the Kalamazoo Valley Museum, the Ladies’ Library Association of Kalamazoo, the Lucinda Hinsdale Stone Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, and Discover Kalamazoo (the Kalamazoo County Convention and Visitors Bureau).

Venue Locations (all in Kalamazoo, MI, zip code 49007)

* Hilton Garden Inn: 303 N. Rose St. (corner of W. Eleanor St.); tel. 269-382-4000

* Kalamazoo Valley Museum: 230 N. Rose St. (between W. Eleanor St. and W. Water St.); tel. 269-373-7990

* Ladies’ Library Association: 333 S. Park St. (corner of W. Lovell St.); tel. 269-344-3710

* Kalamazoo Nonprofit Advocacy Coalition (located inside First Baptist Church): 315 W. Michigan Ave. (between S. Church St. and S. Park St.); tel. 269-216-9022

* The Epic Center (Judy K. Jolliffe Theatre): 359 S. Kalamazoo Mall (between E. South St. and E. Lovell St. ); tel. 269-492-1782

Questions about the conference may be directed to Conference Host and ALP Member Kevin Wood at abe@mrlincoln.com or 517-920-4849 (home) / 708-979-3093 (cell).