Did abraham lincoln own slaves?

[Craig Robinson]

Don't know, but he was openly racist

Abraham Lincoln Quote

“I will say then that I am not, nor ever have been in favor of bringing about in anyway the social and political equality of the white and black races – that I am not nor ever have been in favor of making voters or jurors of negroes, nor of qualifying them to hold office, nor to intermarry with white people; and I will say in addition to this that there is a physical difference between the white and black races which I believe will forever forbid the two races living together on terms of social and political equality. And inasmuch as they cannot so live, while they do remain together there must be the position of superior and inferior, and I as much as any other man am in favor of having the superior position assigned to the white race. I say upon this occasion I do not perceive that because the white man is to have the superior position the negro should be denied everything.”

 

[Plutarch]

heh, I was just going to post a thread about lincoln too. Mine was going to be a bit different, so I'll still post it later.

Time and time again I have been baffled by hearing some people say "Fuck Abraham Lincoln, I don't care if he issued the emancipation proclamation or went to war with the south, HE OWNED SLAVES TOO!!"

I'm not 100% certain, but I don't think that he owned slaves. I studied American history many times and was never taught that he owned slaves. His father could've maybe or his grandfather, but I don't think that he did as an adult or as president. I'm almost 100% sure that he didn't own slaves while he was president. He was running on an anti-slavery political platform with the support of abolitionists and anti-slavery advocates. With that being said, George Washington and Thomas Jefferson owned slaves even though they were against slavery. And yes, Lincoln (and Jefferson) were racist to a good extent. But Lincoln mostl likely wasn't a slave holder.

I understand in our black society we always have had conversations of the white man being the devil, building a militant minds, and fighting against the government, and that our true history has been robbed and hidden from us, don't believe the white-history books etc etc etc.
Some things I agree with, some things I think are extreme, and some things I think are just downright stupid. But I'm always open to learning new shit and truths I may have been blinded from in the past.

I think that conversations of the white man being the devil and similar ideas like that are as bad as false history books. All of those things obscure the truth.

I also think that our true history is not being robbed and hidden from us. It's right in front of our eyes and at our fingertips. We have libraries, the internet, our elders and black scholars and activists, and a whole gang of other resources to educate ourselves about ourselves. If we don't know our history, I think that we need to mostly blame ourselves, and stop blaming the white man.

But I agree, learning new shit really opens your mind to the world's many truths. For better or for worse, it always makes you a better person in the end.

 

[janklow]

He was running on an anti-slavery political platform with the support of abolitionists and anti-slavery advocates. With that being said, George Washington and Thomas Jefferson owned slaves even though they were against slavery. And yes, Lincoln (and Jefferson) were racist to a good extent. But Lincoln mostl likely wasn't a slave holder.

it stands to reason that if Lincoln was an actual slave owner it would have been amply demonstrated and verified by now as it has with all the presidents that WERE actual slave owners.

it should also be noted that Lincoln is a common target for "historians" writing "factual" stories about his life