This short video close reading of Lincoln’s “Blind Memorandum” (1864) by Matthew Pinsker was part of 25 such videos he created for the online “Understanding Lincoln” graduate course, co-sponsored by the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. There are now more than 50 additional videotaped close readings of Lincoln documents by teachers and students at the Lincoln’s Writings site. Several of these efforts are featured below.