The Twelve Days of Lincoln

February 4

Lincoln’s Humor

Many pictures represent Mr. Lincoln as a sad man with a woeful spirit. Ironically, in spite of losing his mother at a young age, the heartaches of losing two sons, numerous business and election failures, the burden of being a wartime President, and the pressures of the office he was anything but woeful. Much has been made of Lincoln’s melancholy and the majority of the photographs of Lincoln depict a man who appeared depressed, rarely smiling. The fact is Lincoln WAS depressed! He had plenty about which to be depressed, but today we know much more about melancholy and depression than we did in the nineteenth century. There is no doubt that the Lincolns both battled their own inner demons of depression and despair.

And though Lincoln faced a number of circumstances which may have caused his melancholy to flare up, “Lincoln’s Melancholy” by Joshua Shenk highlights the instances in which Lincoln used his depression to overcome challenging times and helped spur him on toward his leadership ambitions. Lincoln’s sense of humor, his ability to tell stories, his gift of mimicry and his excellent memory made Lincoln a naturally gifted storyteller and humorist. His quick-wittedness drew others to him, and his physical presence enabled him to command large audiences while telling his tales.

So what is the point of making note of Lincoln’s sense of humor as part of the Twelve Days of Lincoln? The point is few men (or women) ever faced the amount of challenges Lincoln faced as a leader and yet, through it all he retained his sense of humor and affability. Lincoln’s self-deprecating humor was appreciated by the citizens he led and those who looked to Lincoln for comfort. I suspect that Lincoln might not have been considered nearly as great a leader had he allowed his melancholy and sadness to prevail. Lincoln used his story-telling and sense of humor to help Americans rise above the overwhelmingly difficult times in which they lived.

I’m thankful that members of the administrative team I led purchased the above print of Lincoln for me as a Christmas gift two years ago. Prior to receiving the gift I had never before seen a print or photo of Lincoln wearing this expression. I have placed the photo above the desk in my office. It is there to remind me when I am overcome by the seriousness of my work to relax – it’s going to be alright. President Lincoln’s expression carries a peaceful smile to help remind me to keep my sense of humor in difficult times also.