February 9, 2009

Brian Flanagan, associate director of the Hauenstein Center and a member of the Michigan Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Committee, gave a talk at the Hauenstein Center’s Lincoln Bicentennial Lecture Series. The Center’s series was part of the annual conference of the Michigan Council for the Social Studies.

“Three Heroic Journeys: Abraham Lincoln and the Power of Myth”
Abraham Lincoln’s rise from depression and poverty to battle the slave power parallels the path of mythic heroes, from ancient and medieval literature through modern science fiction. Flanagan explores this phenomenon, its roots, and its implications.