The Lincoln Bible is part of the rare book and special collections at the Library of Congress in Washington. Clark Evans heads one of the sections there. "There is a palpable connection between Mr. Lincoln the great emancipator and having this Bible used by our first African American president," he said.
The Bible was purchased for Lincoln's first inauguration in 1861 by a clerk of the US Supreme Court. The court's seal authenticates its historic use. Evans says the Bible is not usually exhibited, except on special occasions like this.
Monday, January 05, 2009
President-Elect Barack Obama to be sworn in on Lincoln's Bible
A reminder of how central faith has been to the history of America is the fact that our leaders choose to be sworn into office while placing their hand on a Bible. For President-Elect Barack Obama, the perfect Bible to choose for this duty is one owned by Abraham Lincoln - another President from Illinois.
