Lincoln and the Immigrant

While the national debate over immigration may seem like a strictly 21st century conversation, Lincoln and the Immigrant reveals that it has always been part of our cultural identity. Lincoln took a stand for immigrants at a time when they were particularly misunderstood and undervalued, and by welcoming them into our nation, the United States gained from their skills, work ethic, and ingenuity for generations." - Murthy Law Firm

"Two subjects of enduring interest to all who study the American past are the history of immigration and the political ideology of Abraham Lincoln. Until now, no book-length study has examined these subjects together. Silverman's inspired idea was to consider them as related parts of the same story. He shows us not only how Lincoln interacted with individual immigrants from many backgrounds but also what he thought about the larger significance of immigration as a theme in American life and its relationship to freedom, economic growth, and social opportunity. The result is a compelling interpretation of nineteenth-century American history with important implications for our understanding of diversity today and for the prospects of American democracy in the century to come." - Kevin Kenny, professor of history, Boston College
 
"In this excellent untold story, Silverman narrates Abraham Lincoln's politics on and interactions with the foreign-born in his time. Lincoln never denied the right of immigrants - most of them poor, as he was in his youth - to rise as proclaimed in the Declaration of Independence and which he did himself. They would become Lincoln's supporters and fight for the Union. This is a tale worth telling, and Silverman does so exceedingly well." - Frank J. Williams, founding chair of the Lincoln Forum

"Despite the enormous number of books that have been written about Abraham Lincoln, there has never been a full-length study about Lincoln's views on immigration. Silverman admirably fills this gap in the literature with his well-written and thoughtful study, demonstrating once again that an imaginative scholar can still provide new information about our sixteenth president. Highly recommended, not only for what it reveals about Lincoln's ideas on immigration but also for the insights provided to twenty-first-century Americans who wrestle with similar immigration issues." - Thomas R. Turner, editor of the Lincoln Herald  

"A learned, prodigiously researched, and engagingly written contribution to our understanding of this important subject." - Bruce Levine, J. G. Randall Distinguished Professor of History, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

"Jason Silverman has written a short, scholarly, and eminently readable book . . . that examines Lincoln's personal relationships with immigrants, his integration of the immigrant into his understanding of the Declaration of Independence, and his practical political handling of immigrant communities. . . . It can easily be read in a few nights, yet it will leave you thinking for weeks." - Patrick Young, Long Island Wins

"Jason Silverman has provided a succinct overview of Abraham Lincoln's views and relationships with immigrants from his years as a young adult in Springfield to his term as president...No other book focuses exclusively on Lincoln and immigration." - Bruce Bieglow, The Annals of Iowa

"Lincoln and the Immigrant is a timely book. Its slim size, engaging prose, and poignant anecdotes make it an ideal selection for teachers, scholars, and general readers seeking to historicize current debates over religious tolerance, citizenship, and immigrants' role in the United States economy. Those who choose to do so by assigning or reading for themselves, Silverman's book will be richly rewarded." - Ian Delahanty, Springfield College (MA)

"Jason H. Silverman focuses on a topic that Lincoln considered vitally important and one that remains timely for Americans today. He is the first historian to connect Lincoln's attitudes toward foreigners and his evolving political ideology. . . . Lincoln believed that all Americans-including white immigrants and black slaves-deserved the fruit of their labor and the chance to rise in life. . . . Silverman credits Lincoln with recognizing 'the folly of racism and nativism in the face of the promise of equality." - John David Smith, Charlotte Observer

"Silverman argues . . . that Lincoln believed that no person should be denied inalienable rights as stated in the Declaration of Independence and that the country should welcome people so long as they were willing to work. . . . Silverman has written an insightful book about how Lincoln, whom many consider America's greatest president, addressed an issue that was every bit as perplexing in his day as it is in ours." - Terry Plumb, The Herald  

"Silverman covers Lincoln's interactions with foreign-born Americans and his positions on policies that affected their lives. The writing is sharp and engaging, the details revealing, and Silverman's insights interesting." - Alison Clark Efford, Civil War Monitor

"a worthy addition to any Lincoln library collection." - Charles H. Bogart, Civil War News Book Review