Lincoln asked the nation to confront unblinkingly the legacy of slavery. What were the requirements of justice in the face of this reality? What would be necessary to enable former slaves and their descendants to enjoy fully the pursuit of happiness? Lincoln did not live to provide an answer. A century and a half later, we have yet to do so.

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Quote text and notes from Wikiquote: Eric Foner (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source quality and labels are our own summary of what Wikiquote records.