Lincoln's After Life

Abraham Lincoln was known for many things throughout history, his known for helping the slaves as well as how far he went as a president before his assassination. During Abraham's era a lot was changed and even though it had an impact during its time it had much of a greater impact after his time. Abraham Lincoln had people who went along with his every decision and those who cited what he was doing. Still in fact his known to us as one of our greatest presidents to date. Not only were Lincoln our 16^th president he was a lawyer as well and help fight back in our war.Even though Abraham Lincoln was during the world war age one isn't to look at just that aspect. Long after his death Abraham is still being spoken of some of his strategies are still being put to use. His way of thinking is still being recognized. That is to say that long after death, his memory and accomplishment remain.

When he finally was re-elected, the only thought in Lincoln's head was Reconstruction. Lincoln left a strong memory behind of who he was and what he stood for. Lincoln's life was full of power making sure he did what benefited all not just those who were selfish and greedy for what wasn't necessary. If it wasn't for Lincoln ,today separation of races will still exist. He tackled a situation that many try to enforce but couldn't follow through with. A situation that others ignored, that's one of his greatest accomplishments, and something they would say was one of his major purposes of becoming a president. Lincoln brought change and led many to freedom despise the fact Southerner's didn't agree with him (Cardwardine, Richard).

Abraham Lincoln successfully led our country through our greatest internal crisis the Civil War ending slavery and preserving the union. With Lincoln as President slavery was abolish he issued one of the most important things to be written to this day ,the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863 and, promoted the Thirteenth Amendment (Cardwardine, Richard). "Lincoln had to proceed with political delicacy on questions of slavery and race. Antislavery sentiments were widespread in the North; more widespread were notions of white supremacy. Whites opposed slavery in their states and in the remaining territories to the west. They did not want to have to compete against slave labor, and most of them did not want contact with black people at all" (Nuechterlein, James).

"Lincoln's goals were actually more political than ever. He was a shrewd and calculating creature of politics; and he achieved historical greatness in his later years because of, and not despite, his political skills. It was the only way that anyone could have completed the momentous tasks that history, as well as his personal ambition, had handed to him. It was the only way he knew how to do anything of public importance, and the only way he cared to know"(Wilentz, Sean). If it wasn't for Abraham Lincoln , many African Americans wouldn't be able to have their own say and be free to do as they pleased. African American would vote solidly for the republican party , the party of Lincoln , until Roosevelt's New Deal and Southern whites voted solidly democrat until Roosevelt's New Deal. Then both ended up switching sides.

There are other things that continue to keep Abraham Lincoln still living in our memories through many legacies and memorials. Abraham Lincoln continues to be one of the few faces we see on our pennies and $5 dollar bills. His status was so high and known that he made it so that he has his own memorial which any one can attend as well as museums. American organizations of all purposes and agendas continue to use his name and image, with interests ranging from the gay rights-supporting Log Cabin Republicans to the insurance corporation Lincoln National Corporation(Nuechterlein, James). Abraham continues to be an important symbol in the struggle of equality. People always tend to go back to what Lincoln did to justify their rights as humans not only by race but by standards of living. He made it so that people believed in standing up for themselves.

One good example would be that of What occurred to African Americans when the DAR wouldn't let the great African American soprano Marian Anderson perform in their hall in Washington, she gave her Concert instead on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial with Eleanor Roosevelt in the first row. She wasn't allowed to perform at an all white school due to segregation. Ever since the memorial of Lincoln was created many things have occurred at this memorial in dedication to him and other famous people besides Marian Anderson , there was the Easter Sunday concert this certainly was one of great importance and symbolic impact. The August 28, 1963 event that included a civil rights march from the Washington Monument Grounds along the Reflecting Pool to the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. More than 200,000 people journeyed to Washington, D.C. from all over the United States to exercise their First Amendment rights and demonstrate that full freedom and equality had yet to be enjoyed by all Americans. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered the most famous of the many speeches made that day.

Another thing to remember Abraham Lincoln is LMU the Lincoln Memorial University in which it educations adults into receiving degrees in many things such as Allied Health Sciences, Education , Law , Nursing and others. This college has made so the memory of Lincoln still continues , making trips to Lincolns memorial and having a centered focus and what Lincoln tried to do before his death. In doing this they are still keeping his memory and spirit around. Lincoln was known for trying to give a benefit to each and every person , just as much as he helps those to freedom he also highly believed in education. We also remember Lincoln on our calendars when Memorial days comes along and we are reminded of the greatness of his accomplishments.

In Mount Rushmore you have monuments of four of our greatest President's one being Abraham Lincoln himself, Between October 4, 1927, and October 31, 1941, Gutzon Borglum and others sculpted the colossal 60-foot (18 m) carvings of U.S. presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln to represent the first 150 years of American history. These presidents were selected by Borglum because of their role in preserving the Republic and expanding its territory.This shows how Lincoln impacted so many people through keeping the Republican party alive. Throughout the years of Lincolns Existed many loved what he did and found him to be a great leader no matter what it concerned. When Lincoln came to office he already had an agenda of what to do and complete( Perret, Geoffrey). Though many didn't comprehend the story behind Lincoln his story is still alive till this day. From the most famous people to those who aren't so famous recognize what Lincoln try to do , some still continue it like organizations and others revisit his memorial to show respects to the progress and reconstruction that our President accomplished for that so many of us admire and honor Lincoln because he deserves to be honored. This is why his on our Money, has his monuments' all over, a memorial and many others things to keep his history alive.

Carwardine,Richard , "Lincoln : a Life of Purpose and Power,"New York : Alfred A.Knopf, 2006

Dilorenzo,Thomas, " The Real Lincoln: a New Look at Abraham Lincoln , His Agenda, and an Unnecessary War," New York :Three Rivers Press,2003

Perret, Geoffrey, " Lincoln's War: The Untold Story of America's Greatest President as Commander in Chief,"New York:Random House, 2004

Nuechterlein, James, " Lincoln Both Great and Good", First Things: A Monthly Journal of Religion and Public Life, Issue 165,August/September 2006

National Park Service U.S Department of the Interior. (2008, September 30). Retrieved from Lincoln National Memorial: http://www.nps.gov/linc/historyculture/stories.htm

Wilentz ,Sean, "Who Lincoln Was", New Republic, Vol.240,Number 12/13, July 2009

Women in History. (2009, march 09). Retrieved december 8, 2009, from Marian Anderson Biograpghy: http://www.lkwdpl.org/wihohio/ande-mar.htm