Lincoln, Race, and Slavery

Received the latest issue of Magazine of History this morning, its theme: “Lincoln, Race, and Slavery.” I had a few minutes and looked through it during lunch. I posted recently about Lincoln and race, and so this issue was of interest to me.

All of the articles are very strong and diverse, which is not a surprise coming from this fine magazine. Here they are:

Changing Perspectives on Lincoln, Race, and Slavery
Brian Dirck

Lincoln, Race, and Slavery: A Biographical Overview
Allen C. Guelzo

Lincoln and Colonization
Richard Blackett

“That All Mankind Should Be Free”: Lincoln and African Americans
Thomas C. Mackey

Dirck’s (and Guelzo) article I was able to read in its entirety and he does a nice job of covering the historiography of Lincoln and race.  Guelzo’s was probably my favorite as it was very balanced and fair; all are really fair.

We’re obviously aware of Lerone Bennett and other 1960s and 70s writers and historians condemnation of Lincoln.  But what surprises me is that anyone could try to insist that Lincoln did not have some racist beliefs.  He was a product of his environment after all.  But in that same regard, I do not understand how one cannot see that Lincoln was a progressive who truly hated slavery and believed that all mankind deserved the promise of the constitution and freedom.

Lincoln may not have entered the White House as a “Great Emancipator,” and how he ultimately became an emancipator is arguable, but I frankly find all arguments that he was not an emancipator to be dishonest.  Was he the “great” emancipator, that’s debatable, as by the time he issued his proclamation thousands of blacks were already freeing themselves.  But it is, in my opinion, unjust to suggest that Lincoln was not a great mind who understood the wrong of slavery and ultimately wanted to end it and in doing so give equality to blacks. He was more than a “racists with good intentions.”