Lincoln Presidential Library launches online ‘Picturing Lincoln’ project

[July 25, 2024] 

A new “Picturing Lincoln” initiative by the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum means more than 1,000 high-resolution photos – many of which have never been online before – are now available to people around the world. Thousands more pictures, posters and paintings related to President Lincoln will be added in coming months.

The first batch of images includes:

129 pictures of Lincoln

178 of Lincoln’s Tomb, including some of Lincoln’s coffin when it was unearthed during a construction project

Rare pictures of Lincoln’s grandchildren and great-grandchildren

Photos of Robert Lincoln, his hobbies and his homes

Dozens of photos related to Lincoln’s assassination, funeral and the execution of the conspirators who plotted his death.


“Abraham Lincoln’s legacy belongs to the world, so the whole world should be able to see these images. They show the highs and lows of President Lincoln’s life, remind us of the nation’s deep mourning at his death, and give us a glimpse into the lives of descendants he would never see,” said Christina Shutt, executive director of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum. “I am incredibly proud of the ALPLM team.”

The images, with a resolution of 600 dpi, can be found at www.PresidentLincoln.
Illinois.gov/PicturingLincoln.  They are hosted by the Illinois Digital Archives, which is operated by the Illinois Secretary of State. “Picturing Lincoln” was made possible by a $100,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities, funded through the Illinois State Library.

“These photos represent a virtual treasure trove that tells a rich and vibrant story of one of our nation’s most influential leaders,” said Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias, who also serves as State Librarian and State Archivist. “Digitizing records and making them available online through our Illinois Digital Archives gives the public, historians and future generations the ability to explore historical documents and photos that would otherwise be inaccessible.”

Jade Kastel, ALPLM’s director of library services, expressed gratitude for the many people who made this project a success. “This was truly an accomplishment by the entire library team. Their work deepens our understanding of President Lincoln and his legacy,” Kastel said.

The collection opens a new window on the family of Robert Lincoln, the only son of Abraham and Mary Lincoln who survived to adulthood. Robert became U.S. ambassador to England, the secretary of war and head of a major corporation. “Picturing Lincoln” includes photos of his homes and of his children and grandchildren growing up in luxury, far removed from Abraham Lincoln’s log cabin. Until now, most of these Lincoln family photos were only available to researchers visiting the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum.

“Making these photos available to people around the world is one benefit of this project,” said Kelsey Wise, an ALPLM AV librarian. “Another is that we are creating high-quality ‘digital surrogates’ that can be examined without risking any damage to the delicate originals. It also will reduce library staff time devoted to providing images to visiting historians or emailing them to people elsewhere.”

Several thousand other Lincoln images have already been scanned for “Picturing Lincoln” and will be added to the website over the coming months.

“When it’s done, the collection will chronicle all aspects of Lincoln’s life and legacy: his early years, the campaign trail, holding office, leading the nation, his final days. Visitors to the site will see art inspired by Lincoln, as well as the many monuments, statues and memorials built in his honor,” said Matthew Deihl, another AV librarian.

The mission of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum is to inspire civic engagement through the diverse lens of Illinois history and share with the world the life and legacy of Abraham Lincoln. We pursue this mission through a combination of rigorous scholarship and high-tech showmanship built on the bedrock of the ALPLM’s unparalleled collection of historical materials – roughly 13 million items from all eras of Illinois history.

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

[Christopher Wills (he/him/his)
Director of Communications
Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum]