Courtesy of lincolnpresenters.com
The Land of Lincoln
It was half-past six and before Dan Bassuk bounted for the door, he had a quick glance at the living room mirror. His reflection was staring back at him, in awe of his uniform, but it noticed his bowtie was slightly tilted. As he tightened his bowtie and fitted his black broadcloth coat, he practiced reciting the last two sentences of the Gettysburg Address from his notepad filled with revisions, stating to fix his diction and add more emphatic pauses between each line. Confidently taking his black stovepipe top hat from his walnut-colored coat rack, he knew he was ready to recite his speech in front of an assembly of Abraham Lincoln doppelgangers.
It all started as a humble Halloween costume consisting of a frock coat and cardboard stovepipe hat that once accompanied the grime in his attic. But what started as a round of trick or treat soon became the conference of people impersonating the sixteenth president of America.
Abraham Lincoln is not just the man on the penny or the president that beat George Washington in popularity as the most renowned president, he is a national figure ingrained in American history.
“I’m reading about all these Lincolns performing all over America,” said Bassuk, the founder of this association during his interview with Chris Small. “But I think I really would like to form some kind of organization bringing them all together.”
And he did just that, marking the start of the Association of Lincoln Presenters (ALP), a convention that lets approximately 100 Lincoln lookalikes preserve the legacy of Abraham Lincoln by walking in his size fourteen shoes.
The convention consists of annual meetings in different states that cover Lincoln debates, plays, historical societies, and speeches by visiting historical sites that Lincoln himself went to. This convention serves as a custom to reenact the life of Abraham Lincoln as authentic as possible to fulfill Lincoln’s image in all its glory.
“To me, attending the conventions is the highlight of my association with ALP,” John Cooper, one of many Lincoln presenters, said. “However, about half of our Lincolns have been to only one or no conventions. They are just an optional activity for members. Most join to be listed on our website where potential clients can access to find Lincolns in their area.”
To be a member you have to go above and beyond just looking and acting like Lincoln: you need to represent him, what he stood for, and his virtues.
“By the time I’m dressed as Lincoln, which I do before I get into my horse and buggy… I’m ready to be Lincoln,” Bassuk said. “All my stories [are] memorized, so when I’m [on stage], I’m ready for Lincoln. I am Lincoln.”
However, like Lincoln, his legacy only continues to expand after his death, causing the Association to continue to thrive.
“I received a message that President Bassuk had died, [so] I assumed the role of President,” Stanley Wernz, the first vice president of the Association, said. Wernz was an engaging participant and found that the Association that promulgated the legacy was a natural fit. “While teaching, I grew a beard, which prompted a student to call me ‘Abe.’ I started building Lincoln quotes into my lesson plans. Learning more about Lincoln whetted my desire to share his wisdom with others. My goals for us include: getting more people involved; reaching many people with Lincoln’s words. I believe his message can speak to us today.”
Despite its distinct reputation, the Association isn’t solely just an educational institution that traces Lincoln’s past, but it is also the source of new beginnings.
“My favorite aspect of ALP is the friendship among members. I attended my first convention in April, 2010 in Kentucky and met my first fellow Lincolns. Now many are among my best friends anywhere and we do not compete. In other words, we do not hold any ‘best’ Lincoln contests. We constantly help one another. Our conventions are like big family reunions but the uniqueness of this association distinguishes it. It is the only national organization devoted to persons who portray Abraham Lincoln. There are other national and local groups that study Lincoln, but none dedicated to people who perform as Lincoln,” Stanley Cooper, the current vice president of the Association, said.
But despite the Association giving Lincolns an outlet to get recognition for performances and meetings, it isn’t a rewarding profession. “We have some who have made their entire living for 30 plus years doing nothing but Lincoln. But most are ‘amateurs’ who just enjoy being Lincoln a few times each year,” Cooper explains. “Some do nothing more than dress up for meet and greets and do not charge anything. Personally, I call myself a “professional” Lincoln because I charge a fee. [It’s] reasonable [but] not enough to make a living.”
Yet, despite these financial hurdles, the Association’s members’ persist due to their passion for accurately relating Lincoln’s thoughts to fully bring Lincoln back to life. “But the one thing we always say to aspiring Lincolns is to become their own version of Lincoln.” Cooper strongly advised. “Do not try to become just like me or just like one of our other Lincolns. We all develop our own style as Lincoln and that is all right. You will be more comfortable as Lincoln if you do not try too hard to copy someone else.”
Despite the Association promoting representation for Abraham Lincoln, there are other historical figures that you can portray. A less surprising one is Abraham Lincoln’s wife, Mary Lincoln, which the Association has roughly 35 of.
“We also welcome persons who portray other historical characters and have about 25 of them.” Cooper said. “Other characters do not have to be from the Civil War era, so we have Franklin Roosevelt and Jackie Kennedy among others.”
The next time you flip your history textbook to page 264 and find yourself gazing upon the monochrome yet famous image of Abraham Lincoln, the question you need to ask yourself isn’t when the reconstruction started, but whether or not you want to keep the legacy of the man who defeated the Confederacy alive.
“If you have a passion for learning and sharing the Legacy of Lincoln, please contact us,” Wernz said. “It would be difficult making a living as a Lincoln Presenter, but being a Lincoln Presenter makes a very rewarding avocation. We would be delighted to welcome you.”
For more information regarding his profession, check out John Cooper’s Website:
Demonstration video: