During the 1920 presidential race, this campaign image shows Abraham Lincoln standing before the American flag, his hands raised above Warren G. Harding and Calvin Coolidge. Around them is a line from the Gettysburg Address: “that a government of the people shall not perish from the earth.” The message is clear. By placing their ticket alongside Lincoln’s likeness and words, Republicans tied Harding and Coolidge to the legacy of the Union and the idea of steady leadership at a time when the country was adjusting to peace after World War I.
Lincoln's Second Inaugural
President Abraham Lincoln delivering his second inaugural address from the east portico of the U.S. Capitol on March 4, 1865. The Civil War was nearing its end, and the large crowd gathered reflects the weight of the moment for a divided nation. People filled the steps and grounds to witness the start of Lincoln’s final term. Capturing a turning point in American history, as the country stood on the edge of peace and reconstruction.
