Choosing Lincoln’s greatest words
Will it be ‘malice toward none’ or ‘a house divided’? What about ‘new birth of freedom’ vs. ‘bonds of affection’?

 

[March 26, 2019] 

As March Madness heats up, a battle to determine Abraham Lincoln’s greatest words is getting underway, too. The public can vote on 32 of his most famous quotes, eliminating them one at a time until a champion emerges.

Stand-outs in the “War of Words” tournament, organized by the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, include “A house divided against itself cannot stand” from an 1858 campaign speech, “government of the people, by the people, for the people” from the Gettysburg Address, and “with malice toward none, with charity for all” from his Second Inaugural Address.

The brackets include some less-exalted quotes that might be hoping for a Cinderella story. “If we never try, we shall never succeed” demonstrates Lincoln’s firm belief in striving even against long odds. “Whenever I hear anyone arguing for slavery, I feel a strong impulse to see it tried on him personally” mixes his biting wit with his disdain for slavery.

The competition begins March 21. Anyone can cast votes at http://bit.ly/ LincolnQuotes.

“Obviously, we’re having some fun with this, and we hope the people who take part have fun, too. But we also think it’s a great way to encourage people to study Lincoln’s words, to think about what they mean and decide which ones resonate the most in modern America,” said Alan Lowe, executive director of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum.

The final round of voting begins April 3. The winner will be announced April 5.

The Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum uses a combination of rigorous scholarship and high-tech showmanship to immerse visitors in the life and times of Abraham Lincoln. Visitors can see ghosts come to life on stage, watch TV coverage of the 1860 presidential election, roam through the Lincoln White House, experience booming cannons in a Civil War battle and come face to face with priceless original Lincoln artifacts.

The library holds an unparalleled collection of Lincoln books, documents, photographs, artifacts and art, as well as some 12 million items pertaining to all aspects of Illinois history.

For more information, visit www. PresidentLincoln.illinois.gov. 

[Christopher Wills]