About Us
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“He was great through his simplicity and was noble through his charity. Lincoln is a strong type of those who make for truth and justice, for brotherhood and freedom. Love is the foundation of his life.”— Leo Tolstoy
Abraham Lincoln Scholars
Abraham Lincoln Scholars (ALS) is a community of scholars and historians joined by one purpose: to build the fullest guide to the life of Abraham Lincoln. We gather primary sources, historical context, and the best of modern scholarship in one place, open to the curious beginner and the seasoned student alike. Here you will find not facts alone, but understanding, drawn from evidence, context, and honest inquiry.
Here at ALS, the novice may find a place to start, and the scholar a place for continued discovery. Through the careful gathering of primary sources, historical context, and thoughtful exchange, Abraham Lincoln Scholars seeks to illuminate not only the life of Lincoln, but also the character and principles that shaped him. The study of Abraham Lincoln has the power to shape one's character and enlarge one's understanding of life. Through his example, you may grow in judgment, humility, and purpose. Your journey through history, self-improvement, and toward your fullest potential begins here.
From Archive to Understanding
At its core, this is a shared effort to preserve and explain the life and work of the sixteenth president. We hope to build the bridge between the archives of the nineteenth century and the researcher of today. By gathering trusted sources, from private letters to legal arguments and court records, we give Lincoln scholarship a verified and accessible home.
But we are more than documents. We connect Lincoln's story to the world that shaped him, the people, events, and conditions of his own time, and to the world we live in now, where his lessons still hold.
We are a community of those who believe Mr. Lincoln remains a moral compass for our time.
We stand on the shoulders of those, living and gone, who kept Lincoln's story before us: the historians, collectors, and devoted volunteers whose work fills libraries and museums across the country. Abraham Lincoln Scholars does not seek to replace them. We seek to be a gateway to them, a place where newcomers can find the societies, museums, and scholars already devoted to Lincoln, and where that wider community can find new members in turn.
Our Standards of Accuracy
In an era of historical misinformation, Abraham Lincoln Scholars stands as a second-generation digital archive. We employ a rigorous tagging system that separates verified records from folklore. Every quote and anecdote is cross-referenced with The Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln, edited by Roy P. Basler, and other authoritative volumes to ensure that the Lincoln encountered on this site is the man documented in history.
Lincoln himself expressed a similar commitment to correcting error and following evidence. In an 1862 letter to Horace Greeley, he wrote, “I shall try to correct errors when shown to be errors; and I shall adopt new views so fast as they shall appear to be true views.”
We will not always get it right. But like the man we study, we will own our mistakes and correct them once they are found. We are grateful to the community that helps us do so.
We Are a Work in Progress
Given how much there is to know about Mr. Lincoln, Abraham Lincoln Scholars will be a living archive. As we grow, we will add new material and new ways to connect. If you want to be part of this movement, we would love to hear from you.
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