Final answer:
Abraham Lincoln's views were layered; he did not support social and political equality between races initially, but strongly opposed dehumanization and supported the end of slavery. His position evolved, and by the war's end, he began to support some civil rights for Black Americans, like voting for Union veterans.
Step-by-step explanation:
Abraham Lincoln's views on racial equality were complex and evolved over time. In his speech on August 21, 1858, in Ottawa, Illinois, Lincoln made clear that he did not support social and political equality between Black and White people, stating that he favored the superior position for the white race.
This was in part a strategy to counter accusations from his political opponent, Stephen A. Douglas, who labeled Lincoln as a supporter of Black equality to sway voters against him.
However, Lincoln was also strongly opposed to the dehumanization of Black individuals and supported the end of slavery. He believed that freeing the southern slaves would hasten the end of the Civil War, as shown in the development and issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation.
While initially not an abolitionist, Lincoln's position evolved over the course of the war. By August 1862, he was prepared to use emancipation of slaves as a war measure, and by the end of the Civil War, he supported some civil rights for Black Americans, such as voting rights for Union Army veterans.
The conditions of the time and Lincoln's role as a political leader required him to navigate a landscape that was fraught with contrasting interests and deep-seated prejudices. Despite the inherent contradictions, Lincoln's actions during the war, particularly the Emancipation Proclamation, played a significant role in the eventual abolition of slavery and laid the groundwork for the future civil rights movement.