Was Lincoln a Spiritualist? Houdini Investigates by Stephen Hupp

Houdini, a passionate skeptic and debunker of Spiritualism, was likely dismayed by claims that Abraham Lincoln participated in séances. In this issue of Skeptical Inquirer, historian Jason Emerson explores Houdini’s investigation into Lincoln’s alleged belief in spirit communication, while Jim Underdown reports on recent attempts to win CFI’s $500,000 paranormal challenge. Read this article and find accompanying references at: https://skepticalinquirer.org/2025/02/was-lincoln-a-spiritualist-houdini-investigates/ About the Author: Stephen Hupp, PhD, is editor of Skeptical Inquirer. He is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist and professor of Clinical Child & School Psychology at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. Subscribe to Skeptical Inquirer: https://skepticalinquirer.org/subscribe/ Skeptical Inquirer Audio Edition is a production of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry and the Center for Inquiry.