Howard Wright is a member of the Association of Lincoln Presenters, an organization dedicated to the serious interpretation of Abraham Lincoln. Mr. Wright has taught at Renbrook School, an independent school in West Hartford, CT, since 1980. He plays a number of different roles, including Dean of Students, Science Department Head, and middle school science teacher.
Mr. Wright has performed "Simply Lincoln" for elementary through high school students, the Connecticut State Veterans Home and Hospital (Rocky Hill, CT), historical societies, living history events, the Harriet Beecher Stowe Center (Hartford, CT), the Wadsworth Atheneum (Hartford, CT), the Philipse Manor Hall (Yonkers, NY), and the Connecticut State Capitol Building.
Mr. Wright is 6' 3" (yielding an inch to Mr. Lincoln), and his appearance (stovepipe hat, real beard, authentic period attire, and Kentucky-style accent) creates a memorable impression on any audience.
In 2008, Mr. Wright was honored by being appointed by Governor M. Jodi Rell to the Connecticut Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission, where he served as Co-chair alongside Lincoln scholar Michael A. Burlingame (author or editor of 12 books on Lincoln, including the 2008 two-volume biography Abraham Lincoln: A Life). In 2009, Mr. Wright and Professor Burlingame retraced Lincoln’s steps through Connecticut of 1860, and delivered a presentation about Lincoln and his words in five cities: Bridgeport, Norwich, Meriden, New Haven, and Hartford.
The purpose of “Simply Lincoln” is for the audience to measure Abraham Lincoln’s greatness by listening to his actual words and unique use of the English language. The program’s accuracy and authenticity is dependable; all selected speeches, letters, and quotes are taken from Roy P. Basler’s definitive eight-volume set, The Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln.
Lincoln’s writing style was influenced by a lifelong passion of reading Elizabethan literature, such as the works of Shakespeare and the King James version of the Bible. When Lincoln composed a speech, he often read his words aloud in order to see how they would sound. His speeches were intended, after all, to be heard, not read.
The focus of “Simply Lincoln” is between the turbulent years 1858 and 1865. During the performance, "Abraham Lincoln" addresses the audience in the first person and gives context to a variety of speeches and letters. In addition, amusing anecdotes, quotes from Shakespeare and the Bible, and commentary about prominent people of the era are included. Length of performance is tailored to the event, and can be between 45 to 75 minutes in length.
- adult groups
- historical societies
- school groups
- Civil War encampments
- parades
- Patriotic events