A shared commitment to the fulfillment of America's founding promises.
Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass, despite their vastly different backgrounds and initial approaches, shared a fundamental commitment to the abolition of slavery and the preservation of American democratic ideals. Both men viewed slavery as a moral abomination that contradicted the founding principles of the United States, particularly the Declaration of Independence's assertion that "all men are created equal." Lincoln's political evolution from containing slavery's expansion to supporting its complete abolition aligned increasingly with Douglass's unwavering abolitionist stance, and both recognized that the nation could not endure permanently divided between free and slave states.
Beyond their opposition to slavery, Lincoln and Douglass shared a vision of America as a nation where African Americans could participate fully in society as equal citizens. Both advocated for Black suffrage and civil rights, though they sometimes differed on timing and strategy. They believed in the transformative power of education and saw literacy as crucial for formerly enslaved people to claim their rightful place in American society. Their shared commitment to justice, equality, and the fulfillment of America's founding promises created a partnership that helped reshape the nation during one of its most critical periods, ultimately working toward a more inclusive democracy that would honor the principles both men held dear.