In case you haven't noticed, Abraham Lincoln's two hundredth birthday is only two days away.
"Honest Abe" was born on February 12, 1809, in Hardin County, Kentucky.
It has often been said that there have been more books written about Lincoln than any other historical figure except Jesus Christ. (Sources: See here, here and here.)
Two hundred years after his birth, Lincoln remains as popular and beloved as ever. And they're still writing books about him. Virtually every aspect of Lincoln's life has come under close scrutiny, from his lifelong bouts of severe depression to his sexual identity to his relationships with the women in his life.
Only in the South, where resentments toward Lincoln still linger, are the celebrations of his bicentennial somewhat muted. As the Associated Press reported: "Most states in the old Confederacy are decidedly low-key as the nation commemorates the 200-year anniversary of Abraham Lincoln's birth, with a handful of museum exhibits and lectures among the modest events marking the occasion in the Deep South."
The South might be subdued with the approach of Honest Abe's 200th Birthday, but the rest of the country is not. Lincoln is now more relevant than ever, especially since Barack Obama repeatedly pointed to the 16th President as his main source of inspiration.
Expect lots of tributes and celebratory events, not just on February 12, but for the remainder of the year. A series of new 42-cent Lincoln postage stamps has just been released by the United States Postal Service. Lincoln memorabilia is plentiful on eBay. Lincoln books are a dime a dozen and many of them are being reprinted just for this occasion.
There is also Lincoln trivia everywhere you look. Recently, U.S. News and World Report published "Ten Things You Didn't Know About Lincoln." See if you knew any of the following Lincoln tidbits: 1. Born in Kentucky in 1809, Abraham Lincoln was the first president born beyond the boundaries of the original 13 states.
2. Lincoln worked as a ferry operator and a flatboat pilot before entering the world of politics.
3. In 1849, Lincoln obtained Patent No. 6,469 on a device that was designed to keep boats afloat when they passed over a sandbar or entered shallow water; to this day, he is the only president to hold a patent.
4. Lincoln was the first president to sport a beard; he began to grow his beard shortly after his election in 1860, when supporters and advisers suggested that facial hair would soften his somewhat harsh appearance.
5. The Lincoln family shared the White House with several unusual pets, including two goats named Nanny and Nanko. The Lincolns also had a dog named Fido whom they left in Illinois after the presidential victory in 1860 because they were worried that the long train ride to Washington would be too difficult and frightening for him.
6. A turkey was sent to the White House for a holiday dinner in 1863, and Lincoln's son Tad pleaded that it not be executed. Lincoln issued "an order of reprieve," sparing the turkey's life.
7. Lincoln was the first president to lie in state at the U.S. Capitol Rotunda.
8. In 1876, a group of men tried to remove Lincoln's body from Oak Ridge Cemetery in Springfield, Ill., and hold it for a large ransom.
9. The Lincoln Bedroom was never a bedroom in Lincoln's time; it was an office where Lincoln met with cabinet members and signed the Emancipation Proclamation. The room still contains a few pieces of office furniture from Lincoln's time along with a handwritten copy of the Gettysburg Address.
10. Lincoln's mother, Nancy Hanks, was a distant relative of Tom Hanks, making the president and the actor fourth cousins, four times removed.
Naturally, the question arises: Is all the hero-worship of Lincoln a good thing? With a historical figure like Lincoln, facts can easily get blended with myths.
Lincoln is one of those multifaceted figures who endures in popularity because people from all walks of life see in him what they want to see. Leftists love Lincoln because of his ardent populism and his principled opposition to the Mexican-American War. Conservatives love Lincoln because he was one of the pioneering figures in the Republican Party and he embodies so many of the qualities of American authenticity that they profess to love. Democrats (like Obama) think he's one of them, even though he was a Republican. Republicans view him as their founding father.
But there are also small groups of people who question the celebrated narratives of Lincoln. Edward Steers Jr. wrote an entire book debunking Lincoln myths. About ten years ago, Lenore Bennett wrote a book titled Forced Into Glory that portrayed Lincoln as a bigoted racist. It prompted an article in Time magazine titled, "Was Lincoln Racist?"
Lincoln will remain a beloved figure -- and, at times, a controversial figure, for another two hundred years in the United States. People will continue to see in him what they want to see. Expect the myths about the man to endure for generations to come.
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