Abraham Lincoln won the Civil War, abolished slavery and served as the first Republican president of the United States.
That last detail is news to Northeastern Illinois University and many of its students.
In fact, The Chicago-area public university includes a historic building bearing a plaque that refers to President Lincoln as a Democrat, according to The College Fix.
“This building is dedicated to public service honoring the memory of Abraham Lincoln Democrat,” the plaque reads. Though there is a space between “Lincoln” and “Democrat,” the missing character is likely a comma, and certainly not the words “who was not a.”
This mistake drew the ire of Charlie Kirk, founder and executive director of the conservative student group Turning Point USA, who decided to ask students whether they had noticed the mistake. Kirk recorded the experience.
Unfortunately, most did not know the name of the political party to which Lincoln belonged. And when given the choices “Republican” or “Democrat,” many went with “Democrat.”
“Oh man, I don’t really know,” said one student.
NEIU did not respond to a request for comment as to why the erroneous plaque had not been replaced.