Abraham Lincoln, after witnessing a freedman bow down to him in Richmond, Virginia (4 April 1865), as quoted in Incidents and Anecdotes of the Civil War (1885), by David Dixon Porter, p. 295
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Don't kneel to me, that is not right. You must kneel to God only, and thank him for the liberty you will hereafter enjoy. I am but God's humble instrument; but you may rest assured that as long as I live no one shall put a shackle on your limbs; and you shall have all the rights which God has given to every other free citizen of this republic.

— Abraham Lincoln on Kneeling

What It Means

This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "Don't kneel to me, that is not right. You must kneel to God only, and thank him for the liberty you will hereafter enjoy. I am but God's humble instrument; but you may rest assured that as long as I live no one shall put a shackle on your limbs; and you shall have all the rights which God has given to every other free citizen of this republic." in the context of "Abraham Lincoln, after witnessing a freedman bow down to him in Richmond, Virginia (4 April 1865), as quoted in Incidents and Anecdotes of the Civil War (1885), by David Dixon Porter, p. 295" to mean that wisdom is timeless.

Quote Image
Source: Wikiquote: "Kneeling" (Quotes) The 'What it means' explanation text was generated by Google Gemini Flash (accessed February 05, 2026). https://gemini.google.com/app

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#Abraham Lincoln#kneel#shall#god#instrument#hereafter#republic#liberty#assured#shackle#citizen#humble
Abraham Lincoln

About Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln, a self-taught lawyer and politician, steered the United States through its most tumultuous period, the Civil War. His unwavering commitment to preserving the Union and abolishing slavery forever altered the course of American history and enshrined him as a champion of equality and justice.