U.S. Lincoln Bicentennial co-Chairs Launch "Looking for Your Lincoln Hero" Global Essay and Art Contest

Thursday, October 9, 2008

SPRINGFIELD – U.S. Lincoln Bicentennial co-chairs U.S. Senator Richard Durbin (D-Illinois) and Congressman Ray LaHood (R-Illinois) today launched the “Looking for Your Lincoln Hero” Global Essay and Art Contest, a joint on-line venture between the My Hero Project and the Looking for Lincoln Heritage Coalition designed to personalize Lincoln’s legacy for a worldwide audience.

 

“This contest is designed to transport the legacy of one of our great American heroes to the present. Abraham Lincoln’s most admired strengths of principle and character throughout his life and during some of our nation’s most tumultuous times have been sources of inspiration for generations of Americans and people around the world. We are inviting writers and artists to share the story of someone in their life whose strength inspires them in a similar way,” said Senator Durbin.

 

The contest’s honorary co-chairs are Senator Durbin and Congressman LaHood, with judges to include: Paul Rusesabagina, the real-life hero of "Hotel Rwanda" who saved more than 1,000 people from the Rwandan genocide; Dr. Daniel Stowell of The Papers of Abraham Lincoln Project at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library; Eileen Mackevich, Executive Director of the U.S. Lincoln Bicentennial Commission; LaHood, retiring Congressman representing Lincoln’s former seat in Congress, Kathryn Harris, Director of Library Services, Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library, Dr. Marcia Young, Looking for Lincoln Heritage Coalition board member. Finalist judges for the artwork include Marvel Comics creator Stan Lee and Artist Laureate of Illinois Kay Smith.

For information on the contest or to enter, please click here