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Reexamining the Racial Record of Abraham Lincoln Jonathan Scott Olh Loway Yale University

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Reexamining the Racial Record of Abraham Lincoln Jonathan Scott Olh Loway Yale University Civil War Era Studies Faculty Publications Civil War Era Studies Fall 2000 Reexamining the Racial Record of Abraham Lincoln Jonathan Scott olH loway Yale University William E. Gienapp Harvard University Gabor Boritt Gettysburg College See next page for additional authors Follow this and additional works at: https://cupola.gettysburg.edu/cwfac Part of the African American Studies Commons, Social History Commons, and the United States History Commons Share feedback about the accessibility of this item. Guelzo, Allen C. "Reexamining the Racial Record of Abraham Lincoln." The ourJ nal of Blacks in Higher Education 29 (Autumn 2000), 126-131. This is the publisher's version of the work. This publication appears in Gettysburg College's institutional repository by permission of the copyright owner for personal use, not for redistribution. Cupola permanent link: https://cupola.gettysburg.edu/cwfac/9 This open access article is brought to you by The uC pola: Scholarship at Gettysburg College. It has been accepted for inclusion by an authorized administrator of The uC pola. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Reexamining the Racial Record of Abraham Lincoln Abstract Since his death in 1865 Abraham Lincoln has been universally honored in black America. In many black homes and businesses, his photograph often hangs in honor next to the one of Martin Luther King Jr. But a new book by Ebony editor Lerone Bennett rJ . contends that Lincoln was a crude bigot who told demeaning darky jokes, had an unquenchable thirst for minstrel shows, consistently used the word "nigger," and supported efforts to ship Negroes back to Africa. As Jack E. White pointed out in a recent Time magazine article, this book largely has been ignored by the mainstream press. The book was not reviewed in The Washington Post, The New Yorker, The Chicago Tribune, or USA Today. JBHE [Journal of Blacks in Higher Education] asked a group of leading Lincoln scholars for their opinions of the Bennett book and the controversy surrounding its publication. Here are the replies: Keywords Abraham Lincoln, slavery, emancipation Disciplines African American Studies | History | Social History | United States History Authors Jonathan Scott oH lloway, William E. Gienapp, Gabor Boritt, and Allen C. Guelzo This article is available at The uC pola: Scholarship at Gettysburg College: https://cupola.gettysburg.edu/cwfac/9 Reexamining the Racial Record of Abraham Lincoln A new book by Ebony editorLerone BennettJr. paints an unflatteringview of thenation's sixteenth president, a whiteman who has been most reveredby manyin theAfrican-American community. JBHE asked a group of the nation'sleading Lincoln scholars to commenton theBennett work. HIS DEATH in 1865 Abraham Lincoln has mainstream press. Jack White, a managing editor for Time been universally honored in black America. In many magazine, wants to know why. White feels that Bennett's ? SINCE black homes and businesses, his photograph often public profile alone he is an established and popular hangs in honor next to the one of Martin Luther King Jr.But author who is probably the most visible face in the Johnson ? a new book by Ebony editor Lerone Bennett Jr.contends that publishing empire would be enough to make the main? Lincoln was a crude bigot who told demeaning darky jokes, stream media at least a little curious about such important had an unquenchable thirstfor minstrel shows, consistently claims. Is the silence another example of the limited curios? used the word "nigger," and supported efforts to ship ity of the mainstream media? Or, is it the manifestation of an Negroes back to Africa. unarticulated desire to protect a valuable part of America's As Jack E. White pointed out in a recent Time magazine cultural memory? article, this book largely has been ignored by the mainstream When White's essay "Was Lincoln Racist?" ran in May press. The book was not reviewed in The Washington Post, 2000 the only major newspaper that had reviewed Forced The New Yorker,The Chicago Tribune, or USA Today. Into Glory was the Los Angeles Times. Most recently, the JBHE asked a group of leading Lincoln scholars for their book was reviewed in the Sunday edition of the New York opinions of the Bennett book and the controversy surround? Times book review section (August 27, 2000). These were ing its publication. Here are the replies: prominent reviews writtenby two of the leading scholars in ? the field Eric Foner of Columbia University and James Reviewing the Reviewers M. McPherson of Princeton. But despite these two reviews ? ? Jonathan Scott Holloway, professor of African-American and neither reviewer was enthusiastic about the book studies at Yale University,responded: White's question remains: Why the silence? While respecting White's inquiry I would like to ask a Bennett Jr.,executive editor of Ebony magazine slightly differentquestion: Who is reviewing the book? For Leroneand author of numerous popular histories of the whatever reason, it is evident that the editors of major daily ? African-American experience chief among them, Before and weekly newspapers and magazines do not think the ? the Mayflower recently published a provocative book, book merits their reviewers' attention. But in our present Forced Into Glory: Abraham Lincoln's White Dream. In world of computer networking and electronic communica? what some reviewers have called a 600-page polemic, tions perhaps we should seek other places to find out about Bennett argues that Lincoln was an unreconstructed racist this book and how it is being received. Bennett, after all, is who supported the returnof blacks to Africa, enjoyed black? not a professional academic. While his works are carefully, face minstrelsy, and emancipated the slaves only when he if selectively, researched, they are not intended for college was forced to do so by political pressure. seminars and graduate courses. Instead, Bennett writes for a Fooling around with a national icon like Lincoln is serious much broader public, and we should turn to this venue to business. And when one argues that the Great Emancipator locate the book's reception. was a racist who freely referred to blacks in the most pejo? Turning to Amazon.com, the Internet retailer, yields some rative terms one would naturally expect a firestorm.Instead, interesting findings. Amazon provides its audience the the book has been met with a deafening silence from the opportunity to review the books it sells and also affords this 126 AUTUMN 2000 This content downloaded from 138.234.153.138 on Fri, 11 Oct 2013 08:44:28 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions REEXAMINING THE RACIAL RECORD OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN same audience the chance to evaluate the quality of the book stream media, still excites the arguments and passions of a review itself. By doing so, Amazon has created, in its own not so silent public. Jack White is correct to wonder why the electronically artificial way, a space for public hearings on Washington Post, USA Today, or even the Chicago Tribune, books of common interest. As of the end of August, Bennett's hometown newspaper, remain mum. Far worse Bennett's book has been reviewed eight times by Amazon books written by less talented and credentialed authors are readers and these reviews, in turn, have been critiqued by frequently reviewed in those venues. But while asking more than 175 readers. White's question, let us take the time to ask other questions Forced Into Glory is a book of extremes and the reviews and seek answers in other venues. It may turn out that by ? reflect that it is either loved or hated. What is enlighten? searching "outside the box" we can get a clear picture of ing about the discussion is that we get to hear from Bennett's how a book is received and how at least one kind of public target audience. Generally speaking, the reviewers do not locates its value in our world of letters and ideas. Forced Into write as Lincoln scholars but as avid readers searching for Glory deserves to be reviewed by the mainstream media. If insight. We hear, then, from the consumers as consumers, they do decide to review it, they will, in this instance, be fol? not as professional editorialists or book reviewers. And this lowing the lead of the public for whom they allegedly write. public, unlike the mainstream media, is far from silent on the Lincoln Was a Product of His Time book's strengthsand weaknesses. Forced Into Glory is laud? ed because it is thought-provoking, or, alternatively, dis? William E. Gienapp, professor of history at Harvard missed because it is a "temper tantrum." University, responded: But the most important facet of this public, electronic review is that the authors are not fetteredby editors' or main? have not read Mr. Bennett's book, and thereforeit would be stream corporate sensibilities. As a result, the low-brow I unfair for me to comment on the merits of his argument. crashes into the high-brow, the race signifiers run into the I do not know why "the mainstream press" has ignored this social conservatives. "Stephanie," for example, writes that book, since they do not turn to me for advice. But I would "African Americans traditionallyhave a strong distrustof the not attach much significance to that fact. Being reviewed in Republican Party. It's because of racists and bigots like these papers promotes sales, but such reviews are no indica? Lincoln, Hoover, TR, Nixon, Reagan, Bush, Helms, tion of a book's quality or importance. Gingrich, and the rest. Republication Party has always been Abraham Lincoln was a product of his society and his a lily-white party and I wish black conservatives realize that times, and he was no more able to completely transcend his fact.
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