Constitution Day: The Legacy of Lincoln

In honor of Constitution Day and, in particular, the legacy of President Abraham Lincoln, we present a sampling of materials and video lectures from Prof. Rick Tepker and the OU College of Law.

The Debates of Lincoln and Douglas

A first edition of the reprint of the Lincoln-Douglas debates of 1858, arranged by Lincoln. The Lincoln-Douglas debates were a series of formal political debates between the challenger, Abraham Lincoln, and the incumbent, Stephen A. Douglas, in a campaign for one of Illinois' two United States Senate seats. Although Lincoln lost the election, these debates launched him into national prominence, which eventually led to his election as president of the United States.

Cooper Union Speech

Before giving this speech in the Great Hall of The Cooper Union on Feb. 27, 1860, Lincoln was virtually unknown in New York, though he had held debates against Douglas in 1858. This speech, sponsored by the Young Men’s Republican Union in New York, is widely credited as the speech that catapulted Lincoln from relative obscurity to secure the presidential nomination.

Professor Tepker: Talks Related to Lincoln’s Legacy and Dred Scott

Source: Institute for the American Constitutional Heritage

H.F. Tepker, Racism in the Supreme Court:  Prigg & Dred Scott’s Case

H.F. Tepker, A New Birth of Freedom I : From Emancipation to Proclamation

H.F. Tepker, A New Birth of Freedom II

H.F. Tepker, Mr. Lincoln’s Dreams Deferred

H.F. Tepker, Originalism & Loving

In celebration of Constitution Day, Prof. Tepker presented "The First Amendment & Civil Civic Discourse on Campus" at Cameron University. Read more here.