Lincoln's Dilemma
By Melissa Camacho,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Insightful docu debunks myths about the end of slavery.
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What's the Story?
Based on a book written by historian David S. Reynolds and narrated by Jeffrey Wright, LINCOLN'S DILEMMA is a documentary series that examines how Abraham Lincoln approached the question of slavery throughout his political career. With the help of journalists and renowned scholars like Edna Greene Medford, Christopher Bronner, and Kate Masur, it discusses the president's early political and moral positions about slavery, and how these evolved and led to the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863. It also highlights many of the underlying issues that created the political divisions of the time, and how they have resurfaced today. The important role of other individuals and practices leading up to Lincoln's executive order are also discussed. Archival photographs, digital reenactments of events, and dramatic readings of the president's own words, as well as statements made by others, by people like Bill Camp and Leslie Odom Jr., underscore how dangerously divisive the political tensions of the time were, and the realities of Lincoln's leadership.
Is It Any Good?
This interesting and insightful docuseries challenges the myths surrounding Abraham Lincoln and his role in ending slavery in the United States. It highlights how, despite being known as the Great Emancipator, he did not start his presidency with the goal of of ending slavery, and discusses the political dilemmas he faced as he attempted to unify the severely divided nation -- dilemmas that kept him from immediately seeking to end a system that most argue he found morally reprehensible. Meanwhile, it addresses the misconception that the political emancipation of enslaved people, which guaranteed their freedom under federal law, also somehow guaranteed systemic equality for Black and African American people, and how this misconception is still being fueled today.
Lincoln's Dilemma addresses Abraham Lincoln with respect and acknowledges what he realistically accomplished during his presidency, as well as the fact that the long-held myths about him were not of his own making. But these discussions, coupled with the acknowledgement of the role Black and African American people played in the overall emancipation process, such as the work of escaped slaves who became abolitionists, Union soldiers, and statesmen like Frederick Douglass, point to the need for debunking the folklore surrounding Lincoln's work if we are to have an accurate picture of U.S. history. These conversations aren't always easy to listen to, but they provide the necessary context for constructive, present-day dialogue about racial divides in America.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the way Abraham Lincoln is characterized and what he represents. Why is he viewed as one of the most important presidents in American history? How do these characterizations impact the way people understand and interpret U.S. history?
Lincoln's Dilemma addresses the fact that emancipating enslaved people was not President Lincoln's political priority when he took office. Does this minimize the eventual decisions he made to emancipate all people in the United States under the law?
Want to learn more about Black history? Check out Common Sense Media's suggestions for additional books and media about the topic.
TV Details
- Premiere date: February 18, 2022
- Cast: Jeffrey Wright, Bill Camp, Leslie Odom Jr.
- Network: Apple TV+
- Genre: Educational
- Topics: Activism, History
- TV rating: TV-PG
- Last updated: February 18, 2023
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