Bothers me that some who ignore history are repeating dogmatic mistakes of the past.
History tells us before Abraham Lincoln became the first Republican President, he had campaigned for other offices as a member of the Whig party.
Remembering when our political history needed revisiting. Became apparent in the late 1970s when a University of Texas sophomore challenged my historical knowledge. She and Associate Dean Elam had been conducting workshops encouraging integration of Black students into campus life.
Then she arrived. “Doctor Elam, I heard you were a Republican. I’m confused because I know you encourage integration.”
My answer, “Lincoln was a Republican, and he was responsible for ending slavery.”
Her answer–which I sometimes fear I can hear today–“Oh, No. Lincoln was a Democrat.” I corrected her historical error.
Maybe we need more Lincoln history lessons these days.
Photo by Jon Rehg at Shutterstock
