About Our Founder
Sameer Somal
One of Sameer Somal's earliest childhood memories dates to when his father took him to Springfield, Illinois, where he learned about Abraham Lincoln. As he grew older, that fascination turned into a more serious interest. He read every book about Lincoln he could find in his school libraries, including Carl Sandburg's multivolume biography, which he read twice. That early immersion led him to study Lincoln for much of his adult life.
Over time, Lincoln became more than a historical figure who captured Somal's imagination. His study of Lincoln influenced the way he approached his personal and professional life, not only as an entrepreneur but also as an expert witness who, like Lincoln, developed much of his legal knowledge through independent research. In these areas, Somal found particular inspiration in Lincoln's preparation, humility, moral judgment, and perhaps most notably, his ability to build relationships with people from different backgrounds. Through his study of Lincoln, Somal came to believe that meaningful accomplishments rarely happen in isolation but grow out of relationships and communities.
Somal's interest in Lincoln entered a new chapter in February 2024 when he returned to Springfield to attend the annual banquet of the Abraham Lincoln Association. After years of independent study, Somal was humbled to find himself among scholars and historians who had dedicated their lives to the subject. His longstanding interest in Lincoln deepened through participation in the larger Lincoln community.
A subsequent visit to Springfield strengthened that sense of community in an unexpected way when Somal walked into Abe's Old Hat, an antique shop across from the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum. There he struck up a conversation with its owners, Mike and Trudy Naylor, who suggested he meet Joe McMenamin, an attorney and longtime Lincoln enthusiast with ties to the Long Nine Museum in Athens, Illinois. Somal contacted McMenamin, and their first conversation led to a visit to the museum together. One personal connection had led naturally to another, the same kind of relationship-building he had always admired in Lincoln himself. That first visit began a lasting relationship with the Long Nine Museum. Somal later joined the board and helped revitalize the museum for a public relaunch in February 2026.
Somal's interest in Lincoln entered a new chapter in February 2024 when he returned to Springfield to attend the annual banquet of the Abraham Lincoln Association. After years of independent study, Somal was humbled to find himself among scholars and historians who had dedicated their lives to the subject. His longstanding interest in Lincoln deepened through participation in the larger Lincoln community.
A subsequent visit to Springfield strengthened that sense of community in an unexpected way when Somal walked into Abe's Old Hat, an antique shop across from the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum. There he struck up a conversation with its owners, Mike and Trudy Naylor, who suggested he meet Joe McMenamin, an attorney and longtime Lincoln enthusiast with ties to the Long Nine Museum in Athens, Illinois. Somal contacted McMenamin, and their first conversation led to a visit to the museum together. One personal connection had led naturally to another, the same kind of relationship-building he had always admired in Lincoln himself. That first visit began a lasting relationship with the Long Nine Museum. Somal later joined the board and helped revitalize the museum for a public relaunch in February 2026.
As relationships grew, Somal's involvement with organizations devoted to preserving and interpreting Lincoln's life and legacy led to his election to the boards of both the Abraham Lincoln Association and the Lincoln Group of the District of Columbia. His participation expanded into collecting original artifacts related to Lincoln for preservation, educational programs, and public engagement. Somal recently partnered with history enthusiast Anthony Cicchetti to create The Abraham Lincoln Collection: Somal & Cicchetti Dedicated to American History, a private collection designed not just to preserve objects of the past, but to bring Lincoln and his world to wider public audiences. These experiences also convinced Somal that room remained for something new within the Lincoln community, built firmly upon its existing foundation. Lincoln's life and voice live on in exceptional museums, collections, organizations, sites, and scholarship, but for emerging generations it can be difficult to find a pathway into that ecosystem. Somal dreamed of creating an environment where meaningful connections could help form a community that welcomes newcomers while supporting serious students and scholars, especially those willing to pass on their knowledge of Lincoln to younger generations.
That vision became
The organization is grounded in Somal's belief that an interest in history does not belong to professional historians alone. People of all ages encounter Lincoln in classrooms and books, at historic sites and museums, through original documents and artifacts, and increasingly through digital media. For this reason, Abraham Lincoln Scholars aims to unite those worlds, connecting established scholarship with new audiences, helping people around the world discover the organizations and resources already devoted to Lincoln, and giving people who share that interest a way to connect with one another.
For Sameer Somal, increasing public awareness of Lincoln is personal. For decades, the study of Abraham Lincoln has enriched his life, and Abraham Lincoln Scholars is part of his effort to help others begin—and continue—that same journey.