Honest Abe turns a sprightly 208; 78 years since Anderson pays tribute

It has been more than two centuries since Illinois' most significant resident was born. Even though, to be honest, Abraham Lincoln was born in the backwoods of Kentucky and lived his youthful years in Indiana (our state's biggest name was a Hoosier?) before finally arriving in Illinois in his early 20s.

And choosing to remain here until he left for Washington, D.C., and the presidency in 1861, never to return (in what was an ironic bit of self-prophecy).

From 19th Century playing cards ...

LINCOLN WAS SIGNIFICANT in holding this nation together as one when many of the same tensions we still feel in 2017 reached such epic levels that people actually tried to engage in secession. Making him worthy of all the praise his backers laud on him.

So as a little Lincoln birthday tribute, here’s a video snippet of Marian Anderson, one of the greatest singers our nation has ever produced – except that certain people used the same hang-ups that exist today to try to denigrate her.

Here’s her famed performance from 1939, done appropriately enough on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. I’d like to think he’d have been proud to be the backdrop for this glorious musical moment.

,,, to 21st Century baseball cards, Abe's image appears everywhere

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