BORN IN A ONE ROOM LOG CABIN IN KENTUCKY AND RAISED TO ADULTHOOD IN INDIANA, LINCOLN’S RISE TO NATIONAL PROMINENCE HAPPENED IN HIS ADOPTED HOME, ILLINOIS.
NO OTHER PRESIDENT, NOT EVEN WASHINGTON, HAS GAINED FOLK HERO STATUS IN AMERICAN TRADITION EQUAL TO LINCOLN. HE IS LIKELY MORE LOVED AND RESPECTED THE WORLD OVER THAN ANY OTHER AMERICAN LEADER. AMONG MODERN ADMIRERS, LINCOLN IS USUALLY SEEN AS PERSONIFYING CLASSICAL VALUES OF HONESTY AND INTEGRITY, RESPECT FOR INDIVIDUAL AND MINORITY RIGHTS, AND HUMAN FREEDOM IN GENERAL. EVEN TODAY POPULAR OPINION OF LINCOLN REMAINS INCREDIBLY HIGH. SO HIGH IN FACT THAT HIS IMAGE APPEARS ON NOT JUST ONE, BUT TWO PIECES OF COMMON AMERICAN CURRENCY,THE ONE CENT PIECE AND THE FIVE DOLLAR BILL.
AFTER LINCOLN’S ASSASSINATION, HISTORIANS CAST HIM IN THE ROLE OF MYTHIC FIGUREHEAD. OVER THE ENSUING DECADES THAT MYTH HAS ONLY GROWN. RAISED IN THE DIREST POVERTY, THROUGH SHEER FORCE OF WILL, LINCOLN ELEVATED HIMSELF TO THE HIGHEST OFFICE IN THE LAND, THUS BECOMING THE GREAT EMANCIPATOR AND HEALER OF A DIVIDED NATION. OR WAS HE, AS REVISIONIST HISTORIANS SUGGEST, A CORPORATE LAWYER WHO IGNORED THE INTENTIONS OF THE FOUNDING FATHERS TO START A BLOODY AND UNCONSTITUTIONAL WAR, PITTING BROTHER AGAINST BROTHER FOR THE SAKE OF AN ALL-POWERFUL, UNSTOPPABLE, AND CORRUPT FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
HOW MUCH OF THE POPULAR NOTION OF LINCOLN AS GENTLEMAN POLITICIAN AND HUMANITARIAN IS REALITY, AND HOW MUCH IS NOTHING MORE THAN A PREVAILING MYTH? WHAT IS IT ABOUT THIS MAN THAT KEEPS HIS COMMONLY ACCEPTED IMAGE AT THE FORE-FRONT OF AMERICAN IDEALIST THINKING?
INTENDING TO ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS AND BETTER UNDERSTAND THE MYTHOLOGY, I SET OUT ON AN OVER THE ROAD EXPEDITION TO EXAMINE THE MODERN PERCEPTION OF THE MAN AND HIS LEGEND. WHAT I FOUND IS CAPTURED HERE IN THIS COLLECTION OF PHOTOGRAPHS. I INVITE YOU TO SEE WHAT I SAW AND ENJOY A TOUR OF THIS LAND OF LINCOLN.