The honesty that changed history

Abraham Lincoln was born in a log cabin in Kentucky in 1809. Raised in poverty, self-taught and determined, he learned to read, write and think for himself from books he borrowed, often by the light of a fire. He rose politically in a divided America, plagued by inequality, racism, and the shadow of civil war. When he became the 16th president of the United States in 1861, the Union was on the verge of collapse.

Lincoln did not give in. With integrity, humility, and determination, he led the country through the Civil War and toward the abolition of slavery. His famous “Gettysburg Address” became an eternal symbol of democracy and equality. He was the first president to see the ideals of the Constitution as a promise to be fulfilled for all, not just for some. Behind his serious face lay a witty, melancholic man capable of deep empathy. He was assassinated in 1865, a few days after the end of the war. But his dream of an indivisible and just America has become the legacy of every battle for human rights, in every corner of the world.

Lincoln was a tireless storyteller: he loved to tell stories and jokes, even in the most dramatic moments. During the Civil War, he used humor to ease tension, often leaving his advisors stunned. He once said, “If I don't laugh, I'll die.” His spirit, after all, was one of profound humanity.

ICONICOMIX celebrates him

because he made the idea that politics can serve the common good a reality. Because he fought to unite and not to divide.

His life shows that honesty, deep thought, and moral courage can change history.