Many consider Abraham Lincoln the most eloquent President our country has ever known.

Public speakers for decades have tried to copy his style.

Across the country—and across the world—children still commonly recite his Gettysburg Address, considered one of the best speeches in the English language. His words nearly cover the walls of the gigantic memorial in his remembrance.

Considered plain among his peers, Abraham Lincoln surprised citizens and intellectuals with his proficiency with a pen. Through the Emancipation Proclamation, the Gettysburg Address, the Second Inaugural Address, and others, the president used his words to hold our divided country together.

His words have bound up “the nation’s wounds” and comforted us in times of heartache and pain. He has inspired to strive for the “better angels of our nature.” To see a collection of Lincoln’s most famous writings, select the links below.

The Abraham Lincoln Papers at the Library of Congress
Abraham Lincoln Online