Overview

Abraham Lincoln’s greatcoat has been called “a seminal piece of the American story.” Brooks Brothers crafted it in honor of the president’s second inauguration. The coat’s wool was “finer than cashmere” and its silk-embroidered lining read, “One Country, One Destiny.” Lincoln was wearing the garment when he was assassinated on April 14, 1865. After her husband’s death, Mrs. Lincoln gave the greatcoat to a faithful White House doorkeeper. More than a century after her bequest, the coat was returned to Ford’s Theatre, but not before it underwent a mysterious and exciting journey. This book recounts that journey as a reminder of the 16th president and his call to “bind up wounds” and care for others.

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9781476674537

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"""How often museum visitors wished for more stories about a special object they found in an exhibition. Abraham Lincoln left few items reflecting the person he really was. Reignette Chilton tells the story of this classic Brooks Brothers' coat customized for the controversial president leading the nation through Civil War. She shows this coat's convoluted life connected to President Lincoln and how his memory has been central to how Americans see themselves.""--Thomas D. Mackie Jr., Ph.D., former director of the Abraham Lincoln Library and Museum, Harrogate Tennessee."

How often museum visitors wished for more stories about a special object they found in an exhibition. Abraham Lincoln left few items reflecting the person he really was. Reignette Chilton tells the story of this classic Brooks Brothers' coat customized for the controversial president leading the nation through Civil War. She shows this coat's convoluted life connected to President Lincoln and how his memory has been central to how Americans see themselves. --Thomas D. Mackie Jr., Ph.D., former director of the Abraham Lincoln Library and Museum, Harrogate Tennessee.

Author Information

Reignette Chilton is an independent researcher and author. She has written articles about Lincoln’s greatcoat for the Gannett Press, the Surratt Courier and the Abraham Lincoln Association. She lives in historic Morristown, New Jersey.

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