Norm Lewis, Stephen Lang Set for Met Museum's LINCOLN-DOUGLASS Debate Today

The Metropolitan Museum of Art will host The Unknown "Lincoln-Douglass" Debate today, February 13, 6:00 pm at The Grace Rainey Rogers Auditorium.

Though they met at the White House several times and regularly exchanged views, Abraham Lincoln and African-American leader Frederick Douglass never publicly argued the crucial issues of slavery, freedom, and racial justice. This is the Lincoln-Douglass debate that never happened; but in this performance piece-using words from their actual correspondence and commentary, illustrated by period paintings, photographs, and sculpture-Harold Holzer brings Lincoln and Douglass face-to-face for an unprecedented confrontation.

Holzer will be joined by accomplished performers to portray Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln: Norm Lewis, Tony-Award nominated actor and singer (Porgy & Bess, ABC's Scandal), and Stephen Lang, Tony-Award nominated actor (The Speed of Darkness, Avatar).

Harold Holzer is one of the country's leading authorities on Abraham Lincoln and the political culture of the Civil War era. A prolific writer and lecturer, and frequent guest on television, Holzer serves as chairman of The Lincoln Bicentennial Foundation, successor organization to the U. S. Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission (ALBC), to which he was appointed by President Clinton in 2000, and co-chaired from 2001-2010. President Bush, in turn, awarded Holzer the National Humanities Medal in 2008. And in 2013, Holzer wrote an essay on Lincoln for the official program at the re-inauguration of President Barack Obama. He is serving currently as the first Roger Hertog Fellow at The New-York Historical Society. http://haroldholzer.com

This program is made possible by Martha Fling.

Tickets: $40. To purchase, visit www.metmuseum.org/events/programs/concerts-and-performances/unknown-lincoln-douglass?eid=4185, call 212-570-3949, or visit The Great Hall Box Office (Monday-Saturday, 11am-3:30pm).

For more information about Met Museum Presents, visit www.metmuseum.org/tickets.