" It was during the Charleston debate that Lincoln denied Douglas charge that he favored social and political equality for African-Americans. He opposed slavery but took the position that whites should maintain a superior position a statement that has qualified his legacy as the Great Emancipator.


Today, the meaning of those words might offend some. One hundred fifty years ago, if he had never spoken them, this discussion would be moot. There would be no legacy, and no marker.

It hadn't been long, since this area had been claimed from the "savages" that inhabited our portion of the new world, and all sorts of inferiority, was the law. Had he ever publicly began to discuss freeing slaves, and them being immediately equal, he would have never have gained ant further prominence in the climate of that day. His distinction, let the issue of slavery remain more removed from personal biases. Most people saw many differences as inferior, but owning humans was loosing popularity.

Our area played a huge roll in many parts of shaping this great mans life. If twelve to fifteen thousand folks hadn't come to hear this man speak, most of what he said would never have made it to the distances it did, to give him a national stage to take this important issue up on.

In 150 years of politics, little has changed. Since Lincoln wants slaves free, he wants them treated as equals, could possibly sum up Douglas's remarks. Had Lincoln not clarified his stance, to make humans owning humans the issue, and not how folks felt about the race of the slaves, he would have never had a chance to do what he set out to. Today those sentiments are villified by some, as lessening of his character, and legacy. If you try to place words from the past, into future contexts, they don't often hold up. In the 1850's this was a bold stand to take. People were persecuted for a lot less sometimes.

If someone misunderstands the words context in Lincolns legacy, its because they didn't look at anything more than the marker, to come to that conclusion. Someone would have to visit from another planet, to not know much of our history on race inferiority issues. It took 150 years to have a contending non white candidate for president of this country. It was just a few decades ago, race equality became open to discussion, and found the ability to take great strides in seeing change. It is good that today, some find the phrases troubling. If used in todays context, they sure would be. But this was 1858, times were different, and we have only know a few years since then, that the focus on equality has gained some effecive traction in society. Much of our history is not great. What this man managed to accomplish, by leading the country to change one big issue that divided it, laid the foundations for issue after issue to face needed change. Had they jumped to free and equal, it would have been right in our eyes, but knowing it took over 100 years to begin efectively working on increasing equality, had he not chose his words carefully, slavery likely would have had a much longer span in our history. "