Edward Askew Sothern the play that Abraham Lincoln was watching when he was assassinated. Sothern's role was Lord Dundreary, a caricature of a brainless English nobleman. At first, he was reluctant to accept the role; it was so small and unimportant that he felt it beneath him and feared it might damage his reputation. He mentioned his qualms to his friend, Joseph Jefferson, who had been cast in the leading role of Asa Trenchard in the play. Jefferson supposedly responded with the famous line: "There are no small parts, only small actors." On 15 October 1858, "Our American Cousin" premiered in New York.
Abraham Lincoln University Abraham Lincoln University Abraham Lincoln University (ALU) and Abraham Lincoln University School of Law is an online university based in Los Angeles, California. Students may attend class in person or online. ALU was founded by Hyung J. Park, a tax attorney and graduate of Loyola Law School, in 1996. Classes initially were held in a conference room in his office. Park named his school after Abraham Lincoln partly because Lincoln had taught himself law. Abraham Lincoln University offers online Associate, Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctorate degrees, plus diplomas and certificates, in Law, Criminal Justice, Paralegal Studies, Business Administration, General Studies, and