Epilogue

Lincoln’s faith in the potential for Black assimilation is clearly driven by his first-hand experiences once he arrives in DC. In that sense he is like the abolitionist John Brown who, from 1849 forward, works side by side with freedmen on his property in North Elba, NY, teaching them to become independent farmers.

The more Abe mingles with everyday black folks and the likes of Alexander Crummell and Fred Douglass, the more his earlier prejudices slip away. In the end, their freedom becomes his mission and all men are created equal his conviction.