Wyatt learns Lincoln was more complicated than he thought; Mackenzie reaches out; and Wyatt squelches his feelings for Martin.

Content Advisory:

QUEER AS A FIVE-DOLLAR BILL is intended for listeners (and readers) ages 13 and up. The main character experiences moments of bullying and homophobia – as well as support and pride – on a journey that’s life-changing and empowering.

Additional Links:

Download the evidence that Abraham Lincoln was in love with another man: the Lincoln Chapter of NO WAY, THEY WERE GAY at https://www.leewind.org/

If you’re in crisis and need to talk with someone, reach out to the great folks at the Trevor Project: https://www.thetrevorproject.org/

You can also call them at 1-866-488-7386 or text them at 678-678

Sources for this chapter:

Wyatt quotes Lincoln saying “Whenever I hear anyone arguing over slavery, I feel a strong impulse to see it tried on him personally.” That’s from Lincoln’s speech to the 14th Indiana regiment on March 17, 1865. You can find it cited at the National Park Service’s Lincoln Boyhood: Thoughts on Slavery webpage here: http://www.nps.gov/libo/historyculture/thoughts-on-slavery.htm

In their dinnertime discussion, Martin tells Wyatt that Lincoln had a plan to deport Black people from the U.S.A., and that’s true as well.

“The colonization of freed slaves, to either Africa or the tropics of Central America and the Caribbean, featured prominently in Abraham Lincoln’s formative beliefs on race and slavery. Enabled by a $600,000 appropriation from Congress, Lincoln aggressively pursued the policy in the early part of his presidency.” That’s from pg. 1 of Colonization After Emancipation: Lincoln and the Movement for Black Resettlement by Phillip W. Magness and Sebastian N. Page, University of Missouri, Feb 2011, where you can read more about it. As far as the seeming contradiction between Lincoln, on the one hand, saying Black and White people are not equal, and on the other hand saying Black people have the right to equality, you can read his own words – spoken on more than one occasion (This is from his Quincy debate with Judge Douglas on October 13, 1858, as found both online here http://www.nps.gov/liho/historyculture/debate6.htm and on pg. 217 of The Lincoln-Douglas Debates).

Rhonda references Frederick Douglass speaking kindly of how Abraham Lincoln treated him, and you can read, starting on page 350, about the meeting between these two men in Douglass’ autobiography, The Life and Times of Frederick Douglass In His Own Words: A Complete History of an American Freedom Fighter, Citadel Press, Kensington Publishing, New York, 2002.

The song Martin sings the chorus of after he and Wyatt watch the Martin Luther King, Jr. “I Have A Dream” speech is “Man In The Mirror,” by Glen Ballard and Siedah Garrett.

Credits:

This episode of QUEER AS A FIVE-DOLLAR BILL: THE PODCAST was written, produced, and edited by Lee Wind. Lee is the author of QUEER AS A FIVE-DOLLAR BILL and NO WAY, THEY WERE GAY?, among other titles for kids and teens.

You can contact Lee at [email protected]

The QUEER AS A FIVE-DOLLAR BILL audiobook, including the chapter heard in this episode, was narrated by Michael Crouch.

The podcast theme music is by Doug Pettibone.

Our creative consultant is Matthew Winner.