The general webby reaction to our pilot project with Flickr, which launched “The Commons,” has been rather Oliver Twist-like: “More, please!”
We started with thousands of Bain news photos from the 1910s and color images from the 1930s and 1940s (a project of the Farm Security Administration and the Office of War Information). For Veterans Day — previously known as “Armistice Day” — we added some rare panoramas from World War I. More recently, we added some breathtaking “photochrom” travel views.
Now, in honor of Abraham Lincoln’s 200th birthday — and in advance of our blockbuster Lincoln exhibit (which opens to the public with special hours Feb. 12 from 5 to 9 p.m.) — our fabulous curators have uploaded a new set of 22 photos of Lincoln or related to our 16th president.
The set includes the earliest known photo of Lincoln (daguerreotype), which was taken in 1846 or 1847. There are other unique and iconic images of Lincoln, his family, and even his funeral procession.
More Lincoln imagery from the Library’s online collections can be found here.
February 6, 2009 at 11:50 am
What do you make of this image?
http://www.lincolnportrait.com/
February 9, 2009 at 11:01 am
Thanks for Flickr’ing these.
March 14, 2009 at 10:14 am
Did you know that these old photographs were taken with the subject’s head placed in a headrest. The headrest prevented the subject from moving during the long exposure time. Film, in the old days, was very slow, so shutter speeds were several seconds long.
March 31, 2009 at 4:36 am
Great photos…it captures the essence of the time
April 30, 2009 at 12:49 pm
I had no idea that the Library of Congress has so much digital information available online!!! I am truly amazed at the easy access to this information for those of us who may never get there in person! The Lincoln slideshow is amazing, many pictures there that have not been seen by many Americans. Very moving! Thanks so much for sharing this with the public!
June 26, 2009 at 7:33 pm
Does anyone know what the early print history of this image might be? I have a framed print that looks ..well, old. I’d guess that the LOC might have run some commemorative type prints at some point not long after aquisition of the photo, but I’ve been unable to track down reference to such a print. Thanks.
October 10, 2010 at 4:04 pm
I would like ti view the photos taken of Lincoln’s Farewell Address (2/11/61) and the return of his body to Springfied (5/4/65). Where can I access these photos via the Internet?
January 20, 2011 at 7:55 am
Thanks for your comment, but we are unable to post comments to the blog that include links to sites unrelated to the subject. You may feel free to repost your comment without the link.