Travel to President Lincoln’s summer retreat, where he drafted the Emancipation Proclamation and found refuge from the pressures of war. Explore the surroundings and hear stories of his time spent there planning the nation’s future.

As you return downtown, Tony will highlight Howard University, which during the Civil War era served as a Freedmen’s encampment. Imagine the anxiety among newly freed individuals as Confederate forces advanced toward the capital—and the hope and reassurance that came from seeing President Lincoln near their camp.

Pass by this powerful tribute to the United States Colored Troops. Across the street, the exterior statue of Lincoln at the African American Civil War Museum offers a moment to reflect on the president’s relationship with African American soldiers and the cause of freedom.

Arrive at the White House for a stop at Lafayette Park. Here, Tony will recount the story of Lincoln’s last public speech, delivered from the White House window just days before his assassination—an address that offered a vision for Reconstruction.

Visit the place where the tragedy unfolded on April 14, 1865. Learn about Lincoln’s final hours and the historical context surrounding the events of that night.

Continue to Baptist Alley, part of the escape route used by John Wilkes Booth. Then see the Petersen House, where Lincoln was carried after the shooting and where he passed away the next morning.

Conclude your journey at the National Portrait Gallery. Here you will see Lincoln’s final life portrait—an image that captures the weight of his years in office, taken just weeks before his death.