Abraham Lincoln, born on February 12, was a self-taught lawyer, legislator and vocal opponent of slavery. He was elected as the 16th president of the United States in November 1860, shortly before the outbreak of the Civil War. Today marks his 210th birth anniversary.
Lincoln is known primarily for his leadership during the American Civil War (1861 – 1865) and for signing the Emancipation Proclamation, an executive order changing the legal status of slaves to ‘free’.
Some of his rare pictures-
In April 1865 Abraham Lincoln was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth; his untimely death made him a martyr to the cause of liberty, and he is widely regarded as one of the greatest presidents in U.S. history.