AHC Lincoln's widow a major figure

After Lincoln's murder his widow is a very loud voice for the rights of fomer slaves using her late husband's name and memory?

Would this have to be a different woman?

How powerful could such a person be in a context where women had such a low legal status
 
1) Possible.

2) Yes. A good model for her would be someone like Varania Davis, who was social, well educated, and loyal.

3) Considering that there were women of consequence like Harriet Beecher Stowe, promoters of their husbands memory like Libby Custer, I'd say they could do very well.
 
But Mary Todd Lincoln had massive mental health issues.

Changing that requires a PoD so early that Lincoln probably never becomes president, and is certainly not assassinated at the same time.
 
Massive mental health issues is maybe a little hard on the woman given the stresses she had to endure too but she definitely isn't the person to take on this role.
 
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