On Tuesday, May 15 at 6:15 p.m. the Princeton Public Library will show a movie cosponsored by the Owen Lovejoy Estate to kick off the Owen Lovejoy House tourist season. The historical drama chosen for this event celebrates the passage of a constitutional amendment that Owen Lovejoy himself believed in and contributed to during his tenure in office.

As the American Civil War winds toward conclusion, the 16th president of the United States struggles to achieve passage of the landmark constitutional amendment which will forever ban slavery in the United States. However his task is a race against time, for peace may come at any time, and if peace comes before the amendment is passed the returning southern states will stop it before it can become law. The president must, by almost any means possible, obtain enough votes from Congress before peace arrives and it is too late. He is conflicted about the timing since he knows an early peace would save thousands of lives. As the nation confronts its conscience over freedom of its entire population, he faces his own crisis of conscience: end slavery or end the war.

“This is a great historical drama that is not only a story of war but a story of striving for change. The cast is excellent in their portrayal.” ~ Review by Laurie Anderson~