Feb. 11 through June 21, 2008
The Faces of Lincoln rotating exhibition continues to showcase items from the Indiana Historical Society’s extensive Lincoln collections with its ninth rotation, “Lincoln and Politics.”

The current exhibition features illustrations, political cartoons, portraits, campaign posters and ribbons, and an election tally sheet. These items depict Lincoln’s political career from his time as a state legislator in Illinois to his presidency and re-election. Some of Lincoln’s political friends and foes are also represented.

Illustrative prints depict Lincoln giving a stump speech as he first ran for office in 1832; with other Illinois Whigs in 1844; and being presented the official letter of notification that he had won the Republican nomination for the presidency in 1860. One print shows Lincoln returning to his Springfield home after campaigning in 1860 even though Lincoln did not actually campaign for the presidency.

The exhibition includes political cartoons from 1860 that depict other candidates as well as newspaper editor Horace Greeley and other prominent editors of the day. There is also a cartoon from the 1864 campaign in the midst of the Civil War.

Portraits include both lithographs and photographs of Lincoln. Also represented are opponent Stephen A. Douglas, 1860 running mate Hannibal Hamlin, and members of Lincoln’s cabinet. The photographs of Lincoln range from the earliest known taken in 1846 to the last taken of him on March 6, 1865.

Campaign materials include a poster of the Republican banner of 1860 with portraits of Lincoln and Hamlin and a campaign ribbon for the same year; a poster of the Union platform adopted by the Republicans in 1864; a Harper’s Weekly spread depicting George McClellan’s 1864 candidacy for president; a poster of the Democratic banner of 1864 with portraits of McClellan and running mate George Pendleton; and a poster of the Union banner for 1864 with portraits of Lincoln and running mate Andrew Johnson.

An 1860 presidential election tally sheet from Carroll County, Indiana, is also on display, as well as an engraved illustration by Winslow Homer and a photograph of Lincoln’s 1861 inauguration, and an illustrated program for the 1865 inauguration ball.

About The Faces of Lincoln exhibit
With the generous support of the Lilly Endowment Inc., the IHS purchased three nationally significant collections of Abraham Lincoln materials. The collections are now processed and featured in The Faces of Lincoln, an ongoing exhibition featuring rotating original materials on the fourth floor of the Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana History Center.