The “Wide Awake” movement was a popular political movement in the United States during the 1860 presidential election. The movement began in Hartford, Connecticut in early 1860, and quickly spread to other cities, including Detroit.
In Detroit, the Wide Awakes were a group of young men who supported the Republican Party and the candidacy of Abraham Lincoln. They dressed in matching uniforms, consisting of black suits, black hats, and capes, and carried torches and lanterns. They organized parades and rallies, and their main goal was to promote the election of Lincoln and to encourage voter turnout.
The Wide Awake movement was successful in its efforts to mobilize voters, and Lincoln was elected president in November 1860. The movement was also influential in the development of the Republican Party, which went on to become one of the dominant political parties in the United States.
The Wide Awake movement declined in popularity after the election of Lincoln, but it had a lasting impact on American politics. The movement helped to popularize the use of rallies, parades, and other forms of mass mobilization in political campaigns, and it inspired other social and political movements in the years that followed.
