Dedicating the Lincoln Memorial | Voice of Freedom

Summary

The dedication of the Lincoln Memorial in 1922, despite Lincoln's reverence among African Americans, was a segregated event reflecting the era's entrenched white supremacy and a revisionist narrative of the Civil War. President Harding's speech and the censorship of Dr. Robert Moton's remarks highlight how emancipation was downplayed to maintain subjugation, prompting outrage and calls for boycott from the Black press. The takeaway is that national memory is contested, and symbols can become mockeries when not aligned with true national ideals.