Mourning President Lincoln

President Lincoln's assassination produced an outpouring of grief. His death linked him with the hundreds of thousands of Union soldiers that had sacrificed their lives during the Civil War. His life and the causes he embodied -- the Union and Emancipation -- touched many in the northern states. Admirers and even detractors mourned. This ribbon expressed the sadness of those who mourned his passing.

This mourning badge was handmade from a small oval tintype portrait of President Abraham Lincoln. Set into a rope-twist brass frame, it is surrounded by a black crepe rosette and black and white ribbons. This would have been worn on clothing during the spring of 1865 by the many American citizens who felt a strong bond with the martyred President.

A small photographic portrait creates a badge for mourning the death of Abraham Lincoln. It is topped by a metallic eagle, black crepe bow, and a striped red-and-white ribbon. Three black ribbons stream from the photo's brass frame. This would have been worn on clothing during the spring of 1865 by the many American citizens who felt a strong bond with the martyred President.

In 1865, Thomas Stevens created this woven silk bookmark to memorialize the recently assassinated American president. Admirers of President Lincoln collected materials such as this as a way to remember their martyred hero. A quote from Lincoln appears at the top, "I have said nothing but what I am willing to live by and, if it be the pleasure of Almighty God, to die by."

President Lincoln's assassination produced an outpouring of grief. His death linked him with the hundreds of thousands of Union soldiers that had sacrificed their lives during the Civil War. His life and the causes he embodied -- the Union and Emancipation -- touched admirers and detractors alike. This broadside pays tribute to Lincoln through images and a poem expressing the nation's mourning.

This image shows the catafalque, a temporary structure built to support President Abraham Lincoln's coffin during the three days he lay in state in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda. Lincoln's assassination on April 14, 1865, plunged Americans into deep mourning. Many people collected mementos like this to visualize the events of President Lincoln's funeral as a way of expressing their grief.

Reverend Henry (Harry) Brown holds the lead of Old Bob, the Abraham Lincoln family horse. They are posed in front of the mourning-draped family home in Springfield, Illinois the day of Lincoln's funeral, May 4, 1865. Led by Reverend Brown, Old Bob played a prominent role that day by walking behind the President's coffin during the funeral procession through Springfield to Oak Ridge cemetery.

President Lincoln's assassination produced an outpouring of grief. His death linked him with the hundreds of thousands of Union soldiers that had sacrificed their lives during the Civil War. Lincoln's life and the causes he embodied -- the Union, the Constitution and Emancipation -- touched his admirers. Mourners could wave this small paper flag during the memorials held to remember their fallen leader.

This April 18, 1865, issue of the New York Herald shows the way many newspapers reported the developing news surrounding President Abraham Lincoln's death and the funeral preparations. The editors took the unusual step of devoting the entire front page to the continuing events. Between each column of text, they used large dark lines to signify mourning for the President.

This April 22, 1865, issue of the Washington Weekly Chronicle shows the way many newspapers reported the developing news surrounding President Abraham Lincoln's death and the "Obsequies" or funeral ceremonies. Lincoln's special funeral train had left Washington on April 21 on the slow journey to Springfield, Illinois. The editors took the unusual step of using a woodcut illustration of the President at the beginning of the lead column.

Abraham Lincoln's assassination in April 1865 plunged Americans into deep mourning. All over the nation, communities joined in public ceremonies honoring the 16th president. Although a national day of mourning was held on April 19, 1865, Detroit city officials decided to hold theirs on April 25. This photograph shows a large crowd gathered in Campus Martius for the public ceremony.

Abraham Lincoln's assassination in April 1865 plunged Americans into deep mourning. Before the existence of newspaper photos and television, lithographs helped people to understand the tragic event. This print made in 1865 by the popular publishers, Currier & Ives, was sketched from a photograph made on February 9, 1864, by Anthony Berger at Mathew Brady's Washington, D.C., gallery.

After President Lincoln's funeral train arrived in New York, his coffin lay in state in City Hall for twelve hours. Over 150,000 people gained entrance, less than half of the crowd that had waited outside. Lincoln's assassination on April 14, 1865 plunged Americans into deep mourning. Many people collected mementos like this to visualize the events of the President's funeral as a way of expressing their grief.

Abraham Lincoln's assassination in April 1865 plunged Americans into deep mourning. Before the existence of newspaper photos and television, lithographs helped people to understand the tragic event. This print made in 1865 was based on a photograph made on February 9, 1864, by Anthony Berger at Mathew Brady's Washington, D.C., gallery. The lithographer added the hand hidden in jacket, which was considered a gentleman's pose.

This lithograph portrays General Ulysses S. Grant visiting the temporary tomb and second resting place of President Lincoln's casket at Oak Ridge Cemetery, Springfield, Illinois. General Grant, a hero of the American Civil War, successfully ran for President in 1868 (serving from 1869 to 1877). Currier & Ives made this print the same year, serving to visually remind Americans of Grant's link with Lincoln's legacy.

Abraham Lincoln's assassination in April 1865 plunged Americans into deep mourning. All over the nation, communities joined in public ceremonies honoring the 16th president. This shows Detroit's Phoenix Fire Engine Number 3 decorated for the procession mourning Lincoln's death held on April 25. The Detroit Free Press reported that over 30,000 people attended and the three fire engines were "the most beautiful feature of the procession."

President Lincoln's assassination produced an outpouring of grief. His death linked him with the hundreds of thousands of Union soldiers that had sacrificed their lives during the Civil War. His life and the causes he embodied--the Union and Emancipation of enslaved African Americans--touched admirers and detractors alike. This print pays tribute to Lincoln through an image and a quote from the Roman poet, Virgil.

President Lincoln's assassination shocked people around the world, and prints like this honored him. This portrait with German text was made in Breslau, Silesia, Prussia. It features foliage on both sides--probably a tobacco plant on the left representing the southern states, and a spring wheat plant on the right for the northern states. The branches crossing in front of Lincoln's portrait likely symbolized his saving of the Union.

Abraham Lincoln's assassination on April 15, 1865, plunged Americans into deep mourning. All over the nation, communities joined in public ceremonies honoring the 16th president. This illustrates the procession through Columbus, Ohio, after the funeral train's arrival on April 29. Lincoln's casket, carried on an impressively large hearse drawn by six horses, is shown heading toward the mourning-draped Ohio State Capitol building.

Abraham Lincoln's assassination on April 15, 1865 plunged Americans into deep mourning. This sheet music's somber composition and illustrated cover helped people to understand the tragic event. Printed in Detroit, it may have been used during that city's public mourning ceremony held April 25, 1865. The artist added a border depicting black cloth-draped U.S. flags and laurel leaves in the shape of a wreath around Lincoln's head.