Scope and Contents:
This collection consists of clippings and ephemera related to the centennial of the Lincoln-Douglas debates.
The Lincoln-Douglas debates were a series of seven debates held throughout Illinois during the Illinois Senatorial campaign of 1858. Republican Abraham Lincoln challenged incumbent democratic senator Stephen A. Douglas on issues such as popular sovereignty and the expansion of slavery in the Western territories.
This collection contains clippings that describe reflections and historical writings related to the Lincoln-Douglas debates as well as centennial commemorations throughout Illinois. This collection also contains ephemera on the debates and their centennial, such as pamphlets, postcards, and brochures. Materials were collected by Florence White, an educator from Decatur, Illinois, in 1958. Also included are documents pertaining to White's research on the Lincoln-Douglas debates, such as correspondence and personal notes.
The Macon County Conservation District donated this collection to the Library in 2003.