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Today is the 150th anniversary of the Gettysburg Address.

Lincoln casts quite a shadow in history. There was a grand speech before Lincoln's at Gettysburg in 1863 by Edward Everett, a well-known orator.

Speaking for 2 hours and over 13,000 words Everett's speech was complex, referencing Ancient Greece and using terms in Latin. Today Everett's speech is largely "invisible."

Lincoln spoke only for 2 minutes, and his 272 words are inscribed on the Lincoln Memorial.

The words inscribed at the Lincoln Memorial are the "Bliss Copy," one of the many versions of the speech that Lincoln wrote in the months after the ceremony.

(Revised and republished April 19th, 2025)