The American poet Walt Whitman spoke publicly many times on Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the United States. A series of at least eleven lectures on Lincoln's life and his assassination began in Steck Hall in New York City on April 14, 1879, and concluded in Philadelphia on April 14, 1890, two years before Whitman's death. They were generally well received, and cemented the poet's public image as an authority on Lincoln. Whitman greatly admired Lincoln and was moved by his assassination in 1865 to write several poems honoring him, including "O Captain! My Captain!", which Whitman recited during some of the talks. The lecture in 1887 at Madison Square Theatre in New York City is considered the most successful of the series, and was attended by many prominent members of American society. Whitman later described its reception as "the culminating hour" of his life. (This article is part of a featured topic: Walt Whitman and Abraham Lincoln.).

Read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Featured_topics/Walt_Whitman_and_Abraham_Lincoln

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1944:

The freighter Fort Stikine, carrying cotton bales, gold and ammunition, exploded in the harbour of Bombay, India, sinking surrounding ships and causing about 800 deaths. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1944_Bombay_explosion

1970:

After an oxygen tank aboard Apollo 13 exploded, disabling the spacecraft's electrical and life-support systems, astronaut Jack Swigert reported: "Houston, we've had a problem here" (audio featured). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Houston,_we_have_a_problem

1983:

Let's Dance, English musician David Bowie's best-selling album, was released. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Let%27s_Dance_%28David_Bowie_album%29

1994:

Iraqi no-fly zones conflict: In a friendly-fire incident during Operation Provide Comfort, two U.S. Air Force aircraft mistakenly shot down two U.S. Army helicopters over northern Iraq, killing 26 people. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1994_Black_Hawk_shootdown_incident

_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:

tread the boards: 1. To work as an theatre actor. 2. (figuratively) To write plays for the theatre. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/tread_the_boards

___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:

Kennaston no longer thought of himself as a man of flesh-and- blood moving about a world of his compeers. Or, at least, that especial aspect of his existence was to him no longer a phase of any particular importance.   --James Branch Cabell https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/James_Branch_Cabell