Free to members; $5 non-members

Join us at a special event with award-winning author Susan Higginbotham. Higginbotham’s latest historical novel The First Lady and the Rebel explores the complex relationship between Mary Todd Lincoln and her Confederate half-sister Emilie Todd Helm. The event will include a presentation by the author, book signing, and light refreshments. Staff and other experts will be stationed throughout the museum discussing the novel’s topics of slavery, mourning, and the Todd sisters.

Doors open at 5:30 PM and you may arrive at any time until 7 PM. Recommended for ages 14-up. Free parking is located directly behind the museum with overflow parking at the Main Street Baptist Church.  Metered parking is free after 5:00 PM. Tickets may be purchased at the door or online below. 

About the book

This historical novel explores the challenges faced by Mary Todd Lincoln and her half-sister Emilie Todd Helm during the Civil War. As Abraham Lincoln’s first lady, Mary supports the Union. As a member of the Todd family of Kentucky, she has relatives who choose to back the Confederacy, including Emilie. Although she loves the Lincolns, Emilie is devoted to her husband, Confederate officer Benjamin Helm. Read more about the book on the author’s website at HERE.