Events

Wide Awake in Wisconsin: The Local Antislavery Movement that Elected Lincoln and Spurred the Civil War

EVENT DETAILS

Saturday, August 24, 2024 | 1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. - CANCELED

COST

Free. Advanced registration is recommended.


Overview

The story of the Wisconsin anti-slavery movement wouldn’t be complete with the Wide Awakes, a crucial but often forgotten club of working-class white and Black men and women who defended anti-slavery stump speakers, organized demonstrations, and forcefully advocated for the abolition of slavery. Join Jon Grinspan, Smithsonian Curator of Political History, as he discusses the legacy of the Wide Awakes through his latest bookWide Awake: The Forgotten Force That Elected Lincoln and Spurred the Civil War.  

 

Attendees are welcome to arrive at the Historical Society headquarters prior to the 1 p.m. lecture to view a special pop-up exhibit of Wisconsin Historical Society ephemera that illustrate the many ways in which past Wisconsin leaders and residents have expressed their political opinions and advocated for a range of issues. The pop-up exhibit will open at 12 pm, and will be available to view following the lecture as well. Also, don’t forget to purchase your own signed copy of Wide Awake after the presentation!
 

 

About the Location

The Wisconsin Historical Society's headquarters building is located on Library Mall of the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus. The headquarters building contains the Society's Library and Archives as well as the offices of most Society programs. 

Wisconsin Historical Society Headquarters  Wisconsin Historical Society  816 State Street  Madison, WI 53706 


Know Before You Go & Accessibility


  • All activities associated with the event are occurring on the first floor of the Wisconsin Historical Society Headquarters building, with the lecture occurring in the auditorium and the pop-up exhibit and book sale in the lobby.  
  • Registration is strongly encouraged to ensure your seat. Admittance to the lecture will be provided to ticketholders first, with seating available (when possible) for drop-in attendees. 
  • Upon arrival, pre-registered lecture attendees are to confirm their registration by checking in with a WHS staff member. 
  • Visitor parking is not available onsite at the Headquarters building 
  • With the WHS Headquarter building’s proximity to the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus, there is a range of UW-Madison parking available. For more information on options and rates, go to the Transportation Services page on the UW-Madison website. The nearest UW-Madison garage to the Headquarters building is the Helen C. White Garage (600 N. Park St, Madison, WI 53706). It is approximately a 5-minute walk to the WHS Headquarters building. 
  • There are also City of Madison public parking options. The nearest City of Madison parking garage is located at State Street Campus Garage – Frances Street (430 N Frances St, Madison, WI 53703). From this garage, it is approximately a 6-minute walk to the WHS Headquarters building. 
  • The pop-up exhibit of WHS collection items will be on display beginning at 12:00 p.m. Doors to the lecture will open at 12:45, and the lecture will begin at 1:00 p.m. 
  • Grinspan’s book, Wide Awake: The Forgotten Force the Elected Lincoln and Spurred the Civil War, will be for sale before and following the lecture. After the lecture, Grinspan will also be signing copies of the book 
  • Following the lecture, Grinspan’s book will be available through the History Maker Space Gift Shop. The History Maker Space Gift Shop is located in the U.S. Bank Plaza building at 1 S. Pinckney Street, Madison, WI 53703 
  • Attendees who are interested in learning more are encouraged to reach out to Jenny Pederson at jennifer.pederson@wisconsinhistory.org or (608) 669-5160 for more information. 

Contact

For more information, please contact the box office at 608-264-4848 or boxoffice@wisconsinhistory.org.