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What Is Lincoln's View On Race And Equality

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Abraham Lincoln, the 16th United States president, played a big role during his presidency regarding race and equality. During his whole presidency, Lincoln did not focus on race and equality and only focused on the Union but he began to consider it while being president while the Civil War began to take place. The Civil War opened Lincoln's eyes and he viewed race and equality within African Americans during the Civil War. When the Emancipation Proclamation was declared by President Lincoln during the Civil War in 1863 it began to change Lincoln's perspective on race and equality because the proclamation meant equality and freedom amongst African Americans. Abraham Lincoln also declared this proclamation so enslaved people in the Confederate States could be free and the Confederacy could weaken, and it was also the right thing to do. Numerous events led to Lincoln's views on racial …show more content…

For example, “The 16th U.S. president was firm in believing slavery was morally wrong, but his views on racial equality were sometimes more complicated.” Although Abraham Lincoln strongly believed slavery was “morally wrong” he still carried mixed emotions regarding race and equality because of the timeline. During his presidency, numerous events occurred, like the Civil War and that is when Lincoln began to realize the importance of race and equality among everyone. There were also events during his presidency that sparked Lincoln's views on race and equality besides the Declaration of the Emancipation Proclamation. Lincoln's debate with Stephen Douglas in 1858 also showcased that Lincoln's views on race and equality were complicated. For example, “Lincoln argued that the founding fathers’ phrase “All men are created equal” applied to Black and white people alike, but this did not mean he thought they should have the same social and political

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