Manchester's Link with Abraham Lincoln...

Congratulations to Daniel Day-Lewis in making Oscars history by winning the best actor prize for the third time. The award was for his role in Steven Spielberg's 'Lincoln'. The success of the film has recently shone light on Manchester's links with the 16th President of the United States. Manchester played an important part to Abraham Lincoln's Union during the American Civil War. As the largest processor of cotton in the world at that time, Manchester took a strong moral and political stance and chose to boycott Southern Cotton in protest against the use of slave labour. The decision led to the Lancashire Cotton Famine, which saw many cotton workers lose their jobs and struggle to survive. Lincoln wrote a letter to thank the people of Manchester for their support. The statue was a gift of Mr. And Mrs. Charles P. Taft and was erected in 1919. It had originally stood in Platt Fields but was relocated with the creation of Lincoln Square in 1986.