Lincoln’s Speechwriter: John Hay and the Friendship That Inspired American Eloquence

Voice, language, and friendship are at the heart of the story behind Lincoln’s speechwriter.

John Hay’s contributions to Abraham Lincoln’s political oratory—including his First Inaugural of March 1861, Springfield Farewell Speech of February 1861, the Gettysburg Address of November 1863, as well as many others—uplifted the president’s influence. An extraordinary transformation that appeared throughout his speeches, Hay helped launch Lincoln’s Republican campaign that culminated in Lincoln being elected the 16th president of the United States.

The rhyme and language of a writer’s voice is the living soul of narrative. The evolution of John Hay’s voice, established during his formative and college years at Brown University and echoed during his time with Abraham Lincoln, is documented in Lincoln’s Speechwriter through evidence of Hay’s distinct voice and Lincoln’s ability to engage audiences, fused into something remarkable.

Lincoln’s Speechwriter gives readers a closer look into the man behind the political voice that was Lincoln himself.