Looking for Lincoln Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Looking for Lincoln - Essay ExampleHe was considered as the presidential god and egalitarian ideal who sacrificed his life for the nation. Also, as his assassination occurred on a Good Friday, he was considered by the mourning nationals as a Jesus parallel, and this added his reverential heights. several(prenominal) events that followed Lincolns death and immense grief and memory of Lincoln in public minds have definitely added to the cohesion, nationalism, and unity of the Americans during a period of grievous degeneration. However, Lincoln has been considered as both a true and false friend of African Americans, and as one who supports or opposes incursions on civil liberties. Philip B. Kunhardts oblige Lincolns Contested Legacy throws light on some of the major arguments in this regard.As Kunhardts article reveals, interpretation of Lincolns legacy alter from group to group. Interpretation by northerners and southerners, prairie westerners and east coast elites, blacks and whi te, secular and religious, liberals and conservatives, scholars and popularizers varied (para. 1). For instance, the prevailing mood after Lincolns death, as told by flush Post editor Parke Godwin is No loss has been comparable to his. Never in human history has there been so universal, so spontaneous, so profound an twist of a nations bereavement (para 2). Lincoln was considered as a wise and good man and a supreme leader by many though everyone does not agree with this. Northern democrats opposed Lincolns wartime suspension of habeas corpus which has led to imprisonment without trial of suspected traitors and protestors, and they criticized Lincolns tyrannical rule. more of the southerners also hated Lincoln, although some have expressed regret over his death, many considered John wilkes booth, the murderer of Lincoln, as bold slayer of an American tyrant (Kunhardt, para 4). African Americans like Frederick Douglas passionately promoted Lincolns