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Introduction
February 12, 2009, marked the 200th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln’s birthday. In anticipation of this event, the annual U.S. Embassy Teacher Academy, hosted by the U.S. Embassy, Berlin, from October 2 to 5, 2008 in Potsdam, explored the implications of his presidency on the United States and the world in terms of nation building, democratic development, race relations and civil rights.
The Teacher Academy addressed secondary school teachers from all German states, in particular multipliers in the field of English and the Social Sciences, senior teachers, teacher trainers, secondary school curriculum planners, representatives of ministries of education, textbook writers, and educators. It also welcomed trainee teachers. The conference atmosphere was one of intense exchange with American specialists on interdisciplinary aspects of politics, economics, and American studies. Lectures, workshops and discussions were held in English. The 45 participants from fifteen German states met for four busy days in an ideal venue and environment for the exchange of information through plenary lectures and the discussion of innovative teaching units in parallel workshops. The faculty, which explored selected historical, political and cultural aspects of Lincoln’s legacy consisted of Dr. John Dean, Professor of American Studies at the University of Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines in France, Dr. David Goldfield, Robert Lee Bailey Professor of History, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, and Dr. Reinhard Isensee, Professor of American Studies at Humboldt University Berlin. They were assisted by one of my Ph.D. students, Marko Schubert, M.A. Five of the plenary lectures and the results of two workshops are hereby presented as a thematic issue of the American Studies Journal.
The Teacher Academy was jointly organized by Dr. Martina Kohl, U.S. Embassy Berlin, and me. Our local partner was the Center for United States Studies at Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, and our host was my colleague Dr. Hans-Jürgen Grabbe, Professor of British and American Studies at Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg and Director of the Center. I like to express my gratitude to them and also like to thank the American Embassy for their generous support and competent co-operation. For their highly professional assistance in the editorial process for the online edition of "Lincoln’s Legacy: Nation Building, Democratic Development, Race Relations and Civil Rights” in the American Studies Journal, I also like to thank my Ph.D. candidate Andreas Hübner and Carsten Hummel from the Center for United States Studies at Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg. Last but not least, I like to wholeheartedly thank Martina Kohl for accepting my suggestion to present Lincoln and his enduring legacy as a theme for the annual U.S. Embassy Teacher Academy. Her creative organizational skills combined with a high expertise and intimate knowledge in American cultural history made this co-operation a truly enjoyable endeavour.
Prof. Dr. Jörg Nagler, Jena, September 2009
The Teacher Academy was jointly organized by Dr. Martina Kohl, U.S. Embassy Berlin, and me. Our local partner was the Center for United States Studies at Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, and our host was my colleague Dr. Hans-Jürgen Grabbe, Professor of British and American Studies at Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg and Director of the Center. I like to express my gratitude to them and also like to thank the American Embassy for their generous support and competent co-operation. For their highly professional assistance in the editorial process for the online edition of "Lincoln’s Legacy: Nation Building, Democratic Development, Race Relations and Civil Rights” in the American Studies Journal, I also like to thank my Ph.D. candidate Andreas Hübner and Carsten Hummel from the Center for United States Studies at Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg. Last but not least, I like to wholeheartedly thank Martina Kohl for accepting my suggestion to present Lincoln and his enduring legacy as a theme for the annual U.S. Embassy Teacher Academy. Her creative organizational skills combined with a high expertise and intimate knowledge in American cultural history made this co-operation a truly enjoyable endeavour.
Prof. Dr. Jörg Nagler, Jena, September 2009