A rare Abraham Lincoln photo was discovered by a college professor. The former president’s image is displayed on coins, monuments, and in portraits. However, actual photos are quite rare. Christopher Oakley believes he discovered a previously unknown photo of the iconic leader.
A former animator for Disney, Oakley now works for University of North Carolina-Asheville media department. He was working in his private studio when he made the discovery.
Oakley is creating a three-dimensional animation of Lincoln’s infamous Gettysburg Address. While examining a photo, he recognized Lincoln’s secretary of state William H. Steward.
As reported by Smithsonian Magazine , Oakley knew Lincoln was sitting near Steward during the ceremony . He closely examined people sitting around Steward in that photo and several other negatives.
On a 4×10 inch glass-plate negative, Oakley finally found what he was looking for. He spotted Lincoln’s signature hat and beard.
Prior to Oakley’s discovery, there were only three known photos of Lincoln at the Gettysburg Address. Two of the photos have been disputed.
Oakley says he was a fan of Lincoln since the age of five. For him, the Abraham Lincoln photo has personal and historic value.
With the help of his students, Oakley is working on a project titled “Virtual Lincoln.” The project was created by combining special effects, animation, life casts, and actual images, to develop a three-dimensional tribute to Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address.
“Virtual Lincoln” will debut on November 19, which is the 150 anniversary of Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address.
As reported by The New York Times , Oakley has worked with others who claimed to identify Lincoln in photos. However, he spent months debunking their claims. Although he made a few enemies in the process, Oakley presented historical facts to underline his criticism.
Oakley believes he found one of the very few remaining photos of the legendary president. More importantly, Lincoln was captured on the day he delivered his historic speech.
View the Abraham Lincoln photo: Here
[Image via Wikimedia ]
