Two faces of Lincoln.
Two images from the collection of the Civil War Museum of Philadelphia showing Lincoln as he appeared during the election of 1860 and within days of his death. It is a face we know well.
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2009 marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of Abraham Lincoln, and we are seeing the beginning of a year of celebration and commemoration. Americans often use the anniversary of someone’s birth or death to reflect on their lives and the impact they still have on us today. But with the gear up to celebrate the birth of Lincoln, it somehow seems different. I think it is because Lincoln is always with us in some capacity. We never truly stop thinking about him. The stream of books, articles, essays, and documentaries on Lincoln that come out every year is truly staggering.
So, what is it about Lincoln that captivates us? Why do we use his image, quote his words, and venerate his monuments so often and for so long? He holds a place unequaled by any other figure in American history. He is part of our subconscious. We are thinking about Lincoln even when we are not thinking about Lincoln.
But do we really know Lincoln? Or, conversely, do we know everything there is to know about Lincoln? Is he a mystery, or a dry well? He is in many ways both. As perhaps the most analyzed figure in our history, I doubt there are any more great revelations about Lincoln. We know all the "who, what, where and when" of his life. But the "why" is still subject to great conjecture and debate. The "why" is all that remains. The problem with "why," however, is that it is beyond our power to ever know for sure. Was Lincoln suffering from depression? Was he gay? Did he have cancer? These things are all speculative history now.
As we move through the year, there should be much interesting discussion on both the known and the speculative Lincoln. But what I think will be most interesting is how Lincoln will once again seem so extremely relevant to us today. Lincoln’s conduct of a war, his navigation of the nation’s most difficult social issue, and his interpretations of the Constitution and the power of the Presidency all seem very fresh today. Lincoln is perhaps second only to Franklin Roosevelt in shaping the government under which we currently live. Our feelings about Lincoln, good or bad, are often framed by our own political philosophies today. It seems to me that an individual who still defines the issues after two hundred years is someone with tremendous historical reach.
Lincoln’s reach far exceeded what he himself could have ever imagined.
So, what is it about Lincoln that captivates us? Why do we use his image, quote his words, and venerate his monuments so often and for so long? He holds a place unequaled by any other figure in American history. He is part of our subconscious. We are thinking about Lincoln even when we are not thinking about Lincoln.
But do we really know Lincoln? Or, conversely, do we know everything there is to know about Lincoln? Is he a mystery, or a dry well? He is in many ways both. As perhaps the most analyzed figure in our history, I doubt there are any more great revelations about Lincoln. We know all the "who, what, where and when" of his life. But the "why" is still subject to great conjecture and debate. The "why" is all that remains. The problem with "why," however, is that it is beyond our power to ever know for sure. Was Lincoln suffering from depression? Was he gay? Did he have cancer? These things are all speculative history now.
As we move through the year, there should be much interesting discussion on both the known and the speculative Lincoln. But what I think will be most interesting is how Lincoln will once again seem so extremely relevant to us today. Lincoln’s conduct of a war, his navigation of the nation’s most difficult social issue, and his interpretations of the Constitution and the power of the Presidency all seem very fresh today. Lincoln is perhaps second only to Franklin Roosevelt in shaping the government under which we currently live. Our feelings about Lincoln, good or bad, are often framed by our own political philosophies today. It seems to me that an individual who still defines the issues after two hundred years is someone with tremendous historical reach.
Lincoln’s reach far exceeded what he himself could have ever imagined.
Look for more on Lincoln here in the coming weeks.
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