Many of you were surprised at Lincoln’s complex views of race and slavery as you examined the Lincoln Documents on Slavery. This week I’d like to point you to two posts. Alex and Juri agree that Lincoln’s understanding of race influenced his attitude toward slavery and what could be done about it. Alex identifies Lincoln’s “segregationist sentiment” – his prejudge against African Americans and concerns about racial coexistence that, he argues, “worked to delay emancipation until Lincoln felt it was absolutely necessary for victory.” Juri holds a similar view of Lincoln. He argues, “I believe that perhaps because of Lincoln’s belief in white superiority, he was not eager to free slaves, unless it benefited the Union.”
Should these views held by Lincoln lead historians to label him a “racist,” as some of you did in your posts? What does calling Lincoln a “racist,” “white supremacist” or “segregationist” illuminate, and what does it obscure?