Abraham Lincoln

Henry Louis Gates, Jr. work on Abraham Lincoln has brought new insight onto this historical man.  The same journey Mr. Gates experience is the same reaction I’m conceiving right now. Many things are not taught to us in our America schools, the mythologized of Lincoln has led to a kind of tunnel vision for many.  Lincoln was a hero in many black people eyes and savior of humanity in others.

Still there is surprising information that I didn’t know, like the fact that he had two mental collapse or episode of depression.  The cause of one being a woman shows Lincoln passionate side.  Like with a lot of human being there is complexity. The fact that he was compassionate, smart and honest, didn’t not mean that at the same time he was commanding, shred, no nonsense type of person.

After he rose to captain as an enlisted man, he then became a self taught lawyer, gaining a reputation as a person who uses common sense in judgment and for his honesty. Then as his political career grew into an election to the house of representative than he join the republican Party running for senate against Stephen A. Douglas sparking several famous debates were he clearly states his opinion for the black race. Obviously a smart man, running for president, he realize that he needed to allied himself to his enemies who had more political experience than he did.  Then had to prove to those same people that he was capable had to frustrate him, along with the difficulties and challenges in the beginning.  Under President Lincoln, the American civil war erupted, this war has held the most casualties in our history, but was eventually won by the union. 

During the debates, he stated that he didn’t see blacks ever being equal and that the white race was a superior race.  Even though some may have seen this as a political ploy to keep or gain southern voters, the statement is still written and although may have fit that time, reading it now in this time doesn’t sit well with a many, but because he sign the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, freeing 400,000 slaves, many have overlooked his flaws.    

There or millions of opinions of President Lincoln, just like all president some are good, some are bad. Lincoln, being smart enough to see that Emancipation Proclamation was not enough to end slavery, that a constitution amendment (13^th) had to be written to abolish slavery altogether and him being a key figure in presenting this to the house is ok in my eyes.