Abe Lincoln: African King? (1864)

Abe's opponents spread "Birther" rumors of his African roots

Abraham Africanus I : his secret life, as revealed under the mesmeric influence : mysteries of the White House. Image source and full text of pamphlet here

While many Northerners supported the war against the Confederacy and opposed the enslavement of African Americans, there was a vocal minority popularly known as “Copperheads,” who opposed the war and, especially, the suspension of habeas corpus and the Emancipation Proclamation. Copperheads believed that Lincoln was acting like a dictator by ignoring the Constitution when he issued these edicts.   

Opponents flooded the north with handbills about “race mixing.” One such attack was Abraham Africanus I, which depicted Lincoln making a pact with the devil to become the monarchical ruler of the United States.  

“Does the Republican Party intend to change the name of the United States? 
It does.
What do they intend to call it? 
New Africa.”

Above, The Lincoln Catechism poses a series of questions and provides answers that lampoon Lincoln as a dictator named Abraham Africanus. Although these pamphlets, issued during the 1864 presidential campaign, address more than Lincoln’s policies concerning slavery, they unapologetically used racist language and images to promote their message.   ~ Harvard Library