Friday, June 9, 2017
EVENT OPEN TO THE PUBLIC; TICKETS ON SALE NOW
Renowned Abraham Lincoln scholar Harold Holzer will receive the 2017 Empire State Archives and History Award from the New York State Archives Partnership Trust at a public program on Wednesday, September 6 at 7:00 p.m. at The Great Hall of The Cooper Union in New York City. Holzer is one of the country's leading authorities on Abraham Lincoln and the political culture of the Civil War era.
The public is invited to hear Holzer speak about his career as an author and historian with actor Stephen Lang. Tickets are now on sale for $25 ($15 for students) and can be purchased by phone at (518) 486-9349 or online at http://conta.cc/2swLhPF . The program will be held at The Great Hall of The Cooper Union at 30 Cooper Square in New York City.
“Congratulations to Harold Holzer for receiving the Empire State Archives and History Award,” said Board of Regents Chancellor Betty A. Rosa. “As the leading Lincoln scholar of our age, Harold is an inspiring role model to students and scholars for his passion for history and engaging writing about our nation’s past.”
“Harold Holzer has brought President Lincoln’s career and life alive for millions of readers through his books and articles,” said State Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia. “The 16th President taught us so much, lessons that still ring true now more than 150 years after his death about how to handle issues that still face our country today. We commend Harold’s successful career as an historian and writer by awarding him the Empire State Archives and History Award and thank him for being an inspiring example of the importance and value of understanding our past.”
“We’re honored to present Harold Holzer with the 2017 Empire State Archives and History Award,” said Tom Ruller, State Archivist and Executive Officer of the Archives Partnership Trust. “As a member of the Archives Partnership Trust Board, Harold has inspired us with his enthusiasm for history, extraordinary knowledge of President Lincoln and the Civil War era, and his staunch commitment to making history accessible to all. We’re proud to recognize Harold’s successful career and his unwavering dedication to promoting our nation’s rich history with this award.”
The Empire State Archives and History Award acknowledges the outstanding contributions by a national figure to advance the understanding and uses of history in society. Previous honorees include historians Doris Kearns Goodwin, Michael Beschloss, Henry Louis Gates, Jr., James McPherson, Robert Caro, David McCullough, and Ron Chernow; documentarian Ken Burns; and actors Sam Waterson and Richard Dreyfuss.
Holzer currently serves as The Jonathan F. Fanton Director of Hunter College's Roosevelt House Public Policy Institute and has authored, co-authored or edited 52 books. He previously served as Senior Vice President for Public Affairs at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. His latest major book, Lincoln and the Power of the Press: The War for Public Opinion, won the Lincoln Prize. In addition, Holzer has written more than 560 articles and reviews for both popular magazines and scholarly journals, including Smithsonian, Life Magazine, and American Heritage. Holzer served for six years (2010–2016) as Chairman of The Lincoln Bicentennial Foundation. For the previous 10 years he co-chaired the U.S. Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission, appointed by President Clinton. President Bush awarded Holzer the National Humanities Medal in 2008.
The Archives Partnership Trust is a statewide non-profit whose mission is to keep over 350 years of New York’s rich documentary heritage within the New York State Archives accessible and alive through education, preservation, and outreach programs. The New York State Archives is the largest repository of state government records in the nation, holding over 200 million records of state and colonial governments dating back to the Dutch colonial period in 1630. The New York State Archives is a program of the State Education Department’s Office of Cultural Education. For more information, visit www.archives.nysed.gov .
Antonia Giuliano
(518) 474-1201
