Gov. Ron DeSantis unveiled a statue of President Abraham Lincoln in The Villages as part of America’s upcoming 250th birthday while speaking at a press conference this week.
"This is a guy of very humble beginnings. I mean, he was born on the outskirts of society in many ways in Kentucky, of course, grew up in his formative years in Illinois, was not somebody that was born to great wealth or privilege, and he was just somebody that was very smart and worked very hard," DeSantis said.
Lincoln was the 16th president of the United States from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. A Republican, Lincoln led the U.S. through the American Civil War and issued the Emancipation Proclamation, which paved the way for the abolishment of slavery in Confederate-led states in the South. The proclamation also authorized former slaves and free African Americans to enlist in the Union Army and Navy, resulting in nearly 200,000 Black soldiers into the war.
He also delivered the "Gettysburg Address," a roughly two-minute speech honoring Union soldiers who died in the Civil War along with the famous opening: "Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth, upon this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal." It was a reminder to the audience of the nation's founding principles of liberty and equality while speaking at the Soldiers National Cemetery in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania in 1863.
"His legacy is enduring. He's rated as one of the top presidents in American history. Some people rate him as number one," DeSantis said. "I rate [George] Washington as number one, because I just think he was indispensable to the formation of the country - but nevertheless, he's in a very, very rare echelon in American history, and now we'll always have this year to be able to pay proper respects."
Lincoln's statue is the latest initiative by Gov. DeSantis as part of America 250, which commemorates the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, culminating on July 4, 2026. Other statues unveiled include President George Washington, President Thomas Jefferson, President Calvin Coolidge, Civil rights icon Frederick Douglass, Founding Father Benjamin Franklin, and others.
Florida Secretary of State Cord Byrd and Visit Florida President and CEO Bryan Griffin were also present at the dedication.
"Abraham Lincoln deserves his place in the pantheon of American presidents," Byrd said. "It is well known that he wrote many of his own speeches, many of which today are regarded as masterpieces of poetic and artistic expression. He was an eloquent public speaker, who had the capacity to raise the emotions of the audience."
