Lecture
On April 11th-12th our invited guest James Swanson presented three lectures in connection with his best-selling book, Manhunt: the 12-Day Chase for Lincolns' Killer. During his appearances at Frederick Community College, Hood College and the Delaplaine Arts Center, James Swanson recounted the events leading to the assassination of President Lincoln and the eventual capture of those involved in the plot. During his lectures Swanson elaborated on the role of the celebrated Dr. Samuel Mudd and debunked the myths that have surrounded the death of the Great Emancipator.

Tie-In Events
MET Performances: As a result of a Heart of Civil War Heritage Area grant and PTA support students at Middletown Middle School, Linganore High School and Windsor Knolls Middle School were treated to an original performance by the Maryland Ensemble Theatre that intermixed details taken from Swanson's book with scenes taken from the play "Our American Cousin." By presenting the assassination of Lincoln in the context of the play the audience was able to get a sense of being a part of the actual event and gain some insight to how Booth, an actor himself, used the play and his familarity with Ford Theatre as a vehicle to carry out his plot to kill the President. Prior to performing at the schools the MET players performed at the C. Burr Artz Public Library presenting four performances within a 24-hour period.

Area Interest: While in Frederick James Swanson, a collector of Civil War memorabilia, visited the National Museum of Civil War Medicine. The Monocacy National Battlefield and the Historical Society of Frederick County also jumped on the Frederick Reads bandwagon by promoting the event and offering copies of Manhunt at their bookstores. Swanson's April 12th lecture at Hood College was taped for WYPR/WYPF's Mark Steiner's Show.

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