It is a real honor introducing someone who is kind, classy, and a careful scholar and someone who has been the heart of the lincoln forums since its inception. She is now the associate provost of Faculty Affairs at howard and this places her in the enviable position of having to say no to everyone. She is the former chair of history at howard. She is the former interim dean and professor of history. Her works focus on africanamerican history and the history of the jacksonian era, the reconstruction. Some of her works include the emancipation proclamation three views which is now coming out in paperback. The price of freedom, slavery and the civil war. Volume one and volume two. As well as the historical perspectives of the african Burial Ground new york blacks and the diaspora. What i have always found about her scholarship is she reminds us of the human toll of the civil war. We often can float into abstractions or perhaps im speaking of myself and the world of ideas and look at history from a detached perspective but she is always there to remind us of the humid toll, the humid cost and bring this conflict to life for us. Please welcome edna green medford. applause good afternoon. Thank you. laughs wonderful. Good laughs afternoon. I want to thank joe for the very kind remarks. I really do appreciate it. I would like to thank the forum for allowing me to speak this afternoon. Every now and then, they let me out of the box. They let me say a laughs few things. It they know i can get wild from time to time. One of the worst things that can happen with a lecturer is to sit and hear other people give the lecture she had planned to give. laughs last night, i heard half of what i had planned to say and this morning i heard the rest. Actually, we can all go home. [ laughs since i know that harold will ring my neck if i let you go home, i will rise to the occasion and Say Something to you. On july 4, 1861, a measured resolute president delivered a message to congress in special session. The address came nearly three months after the South Carolina militia fired on the installation interest in harbor and it sought to justify lincolns actions in the interim and the reasons why congress should now officially take up the mantle to defend the union. The president deftly drew a distinction between the motivations of the two regions. Simultaneously affirming the union cause while reaffirming his own views of the role of this nations government and its uniqueness among world policies. Lincoln alluded to the declarations of independence and by the seceded states in which the phrase all men are created equal had been omitted. He pointed to the substitution and the temporary National Constitution of the phrase we the people for we the deputies of the sovereign and independent states. Lincoln viewed this is a deliberate effort to deny the rights espoused by jeffersons declaration of independence. It and a rejection of the peoples authority as mentioned in the preamble to the constitution of the United States. This is essentially a peoples contest he told the assembled lawmakers. On the side of the union, it is a struggle for maintaining in the world that form and substance of government whose leading object is to elevate the condition of man. To left artificial weights from all shoulders, to clear the path of laudable pursuit for all. To afford all and unfettered start and a fair chance in the race of life. This is the leading object of the government for whose existence we content. No single statement defines his philosophy of government more than this message on the nations day of independence. And they associated at least rhetorically with liberty, justice, equality. It was the guiding principle of his life. The core of his belief system. He believed that the declaration of independence is one of americas foundational documents framed our national character. It gave us the exceptionalism that we continue to claim for ourselves today. The America Lincoln envisioned was more aspirational than actual. When he took office in march 1861, 2 different americas existed. One in the north and the other in the south. Neither of which was particularly interested in liberty, justice and equality for all. Lincoln despaired of those who would claim the declarations promise for themselves but deny it to others. On the question of liberty as a principle he wrote, in 1855, we are not what we have been. When we were the political slaves of king george and wanted to be free, we called the maxim that all men are created equal a self self evident truth. Now when we have grown fat and lost all dread of being slaves, we have become so greedy to the masters that we call the same maxim, a selfevident lie. Despite a series of reforms that aim to address social ills caused by rapid population growth in the cities and severe economic changes, the north face serious challenges. Expanding commercialism and industrialization and an influx of immigrants overwhelmed urban centers. Ethnic and religious diversity in the form of roman catholicism and irish immigration especially was neither celebrated nor tolerated. Racial animosities led to outright discrimination and violence against African Americans many of the latter having been freed in the decades after the American Revolution and who are now considered a direct economic threat because of competition. Genderbased inequities also compromised the notion of liberty for all. Middleclass women were constrained by the cult of domesticity which suggested their proper places in the home. The womans rights Conference Held in seneca falls, new york in 1848 gave the daughters of democracy the opportunity to air their grievances in a formal setting. That conference attracted 300 attendees including male supporters of the cause. A declaration of sentiment catalogue of injustices done to women by men including the denial of the elective franchise, employment opportunities, and a fair wage for those jobs that were open to them. And of course, they were denied access to an education. Workingclass women shared these disabilities and more. Forced by necessity to work outside the household, they often faced 14 hour workdays. The dangers of factory labor, and unequal pay. In the south, and agrarian economy based largely on slave labor retarded innovation and left the region to like behind the north in urban development and industrialization. In the education of its residents and its pursuit of equality for all. The institution elevated every white person above every black man, woman and child in slave or free. The violence employed to maintain the system of subordination of one race by another shaped and left an indelible mark on the character of the south. While immigrants hastened to the north, slaverys grip on the southern portion of the country discouraged those in search of economic opportunity. It was not by happenstance that a son of the midwest by way of the south would come to stand at the center of the controversy over slaverys extension. Lincoln understood the slavery blocked the path to a chance for 1 8 of the population in bondage. If they were going to advance themselves, this institution would have to be destroyed. Slavery also hinder the progress of free africanamericans who by extension, shared the burden of belonging to a despised and marginalized race. The institution negatively impacted white men as well. Although only one forth the families held ownership of enslaved laborers, their economic and social standing disadvantaged the common white man. Moreover, enslaved laborers competed with the poor worker making it harder to earn a living. Those struggling nonslaveholders who sought a better life for themselves beyond the influence of the wealthy farmers needed a sanctuary elsewhere. Lincoln recognized that the territories offered a solution to the dilemma poor white men faced. The whole nation is interested that the best use shall be made of these territories he declared. We want them for the homes of free white people. This they cannot be to any considerable extent if slavery shall be planted within them. Slave states are places for poor white people to remove from not to remove to. New free states are the places for poor people to go to and better their condition. For this use, the nation needs these territories. By the time of lincolns presidency, the western parts of the country especially the old Northwest Territory which at one time included illinois, indiana, ohio, michigan and wisconsin, had been settled at the very people the president sought to assist. When congress organized the territory in 1787, it banned slavery. The institution survived in certain instances for instance in the southminds of southern illinois. And a loophole and illinois law allowed slave owners to bring the property to the state as long as they kept them there for less than a year. As youll recall, the case is about that in which lincoln represented a slaveholder who was trying to retreat his runaway slaves. They ran away because he had kept them in the state for two years. He had run afoul of the law and lincoln had presented him because he believed everyone deserved representation. Lincolns own family had moved from kentucky to indiana and eventually to illinois with a hope to find sufficient cheap labor, cheap land and no competition from slave labor. As southern whites moved into free territory, their racial prejudices migrated with them. By the 1850s, some of the midwestern states including illinois have passed anti immigration laws aimed not at the irish were german newcomers to america but against americanborn blacks seeking Economic Opportunities close to them in the east and you get the instance where you have fairly recent immigrants passing laws that discriminate against americanborn people. Its astounding. Those free blacks who defied the law faced fines as much as 50 for the offense. The inability to pay what was considered a significant amount of money at that time subjected them to the auctioning off of their labor. Those who legally resided were denied the rights accorded to the white counterparts. We cannot testify in court against white residents or serving on juries. Moreover, their taxes pay for the operation of Public Schools that their children were barred from attending. While lincoln had declared his antislavery position early in his career, he did not offer any robust objection to these disabilities placed on black illinois and and i almost feel roger bridges standing up now saying you have not looked at everything. I havent seen anything yet to suggest youd be better positioned to know that been made because you have done the studies. During this time, the future president s efforts were placed instead on ensuring slavery did not expand. In his 1854 address in paurea, he declared that the old Northwest Territory was exactly what jefferson had foreseen and intended. The happy home of teeming millions of free white prosperous people. Unencumbered by the competition of slave labor. As he waited to be sworn in as president in 1851, his political allies kept him informed of the efforts underway to stem secession and bring the already seceded states back into the union. Lincoln let it be known that he would be willing to support certain compromises on the issue of slavery and the district of columbia, the return of fugitive slaves, the Domestic Trade of enslaved persons in his words he cared but little. But he stated emphatically that there would be no compromise on a question of extending slavery on soil owned by the nation. At that time, he was talking about the territory of new mexico, utah, arizona and california. On the territorial question he announced, i am inflexible. And inflexible he remained. Free territories figured prominently in his plans for the eventual destruction of the institution. He believed the framers of the constitution had tolerated slavery out of necessity and had placed the institution on a path of eventual extinction. By excluding it from the territories, it would not be able to expand and hence would die a natural death. Lincoln was willing to wait for however long that death would take. Secession in war made the mind of the institution of immediate concern. Although he was willing and he preferred, a gradual evolution to slavery, the war had to change his timetable. Americas image on the world stage matter to lincoln as well. He understood the role he played as the model of democratic ideals in a world when liberty and equality were not common principles. Most governments had been based practically on the denial of the equal rights of men he suggested. Ours began by affirming those rights. As he said, he hated slavery because of its monstrous injustice but he found it indefensible because also, it deprives a republican example of its justification in the world and enables the enemies of free institutions where plausibility to talk to us as hypocrites. It causes real friends of freedom to doubt our sincerity and especially because it forces so many good men amongst ourselves into an open war with the fundamental principle of civil liberty criticizing the declaration of independence. American freedom and equality were meant to be universal. To give hope to the world for all future time. It was no surprise that lincoln was unwilling to give his Political Support to the newly formed american or know nothing party. At a time when antiimmigrant sentiment permeated the party whos views reflected a longstanding fear of papal influence and concern over the arrival of a large number of immigrants whose cultural practices that irritated the nativeborn. Lincoln understood the ethnic prejudices and intolerance endangered the entire nation. In a letter to a longtime friend joshua speed, he explained why he could not embrace the party. I am not a know nothing he wrote. How could i be . How could anyone who of course the oppression of negros be in favor of degrading classes of white people . He lamented what he viewed as the parties abandonment of the declaration of independence. Our progress and degeneracy appears to me to be pretty rampant he continued. As a nation, we began by declaring that all men are created equal. We now practically read it as all men are created equal except negros. Wheres the know nothings get control, it will read all men are created equal except negros and foreigners and catholics. When it comes to this, i would prefer emigrate to seven country where they make no pretense of loving liberty. To russia for instance where despotism can be taken pure and without the base alloy of hypocrisy. Tangible evidence of lincolns commitment to the common man beyond words can be found in his support for several pieces of legislation during his term in office and i will mention only two here. In may 1862, Congress Passed the homestead act which allowed americans to claim up to 160 acres of land in exchange for a small fee. Five years in residence and improvement to the property. Remarkably, women, immigrants and africanamericans were eligible although the latter were not included until 1868. Lincoln had thrown his support behind the measure declaring that he thought the wildlands of the country should be distributed so that every man should have the means and opportunity of benefiting his condition. Tens of millions of acres of federal lands were eventually distributed and all that much of it fell into the hands of speculators, railroads and other unintended beneficiaries, the law provided an opportunity for Land Ownership for those who might not otherwise have had a chance at economic independence. A second law, passed by congress and signed by lincoln that same year facilitated the building of landgrant colleges. The moral act provided that the states be given title to certain federally owned lands that could be sold and the funds used to build agricultural and technical colleges. Dozens of colleges and universities and i tried to count the number and i still dont know the exact number, i have seen numbers like 69 in some instances or 100 in others. I think there were 60 or 70 that were the response of that first moral act of 1862 and there were additional ones additional laws that were established later on. The second moral act in the 1890s that affected African American institutions and made it possible for some of those schools to be created at that time. Then similar measures in recent times where we have the introduction of tribal colleges and community colleges. These landgrant colleges gave ordinary americans easier access to higher education. And exposed them to opportunities for advancement they may not have had without the presence of these institutions. What it is doing is, it is not so much focusing on the classical education as much as it is teaching them practical kinds of things. How theyre going to be able to survive as farmers and in the technical and mechanical fields. Despite his own success without the benefit of a formal education, lincoln recognized the disadvantage on school men and women faced. Both laws supported his belief that the legitimate object of government is to do for the people what needs to be done but which they cannot buy individual effort do so well for themselves. Lincoln also recognized that government as constituted at that time could not solve all problems of inequality and injustice. His vision of america was one right with opportunity for those who are prepared with what this nation had to offer. It would be able to elevate themselves to the extent of their abilities and industry. With notable exception, black men enslaved are just emerging from slavery were disadvantaged. The fruits of the enslaved man or womans labor enriched the slaveholder and kept the labor good and impoverished. Even if however he managed to be free, there was no support system that could assist in that transition. Lincoln had no illusions that men accustomed to thinking of themselves as members of a superior race would embrace equality with those who just yesterday had been their property and alleged inferiors. His solution to this dilemma to encourage black men and women to give up their birthright in order that americas promise to be fulfilled for this remained left africanamericans teaming. Having known no other home and recognizing their own contributions to the building of the nation, it was a sacrifice most were unwilling to make. But the end of the war, lincoln conceded that africanamericans would have to be accommodated in this nation shaped by a new birth of freedom. The service of nearly 200, 000 black men in the Union Military force convinced him and other lovers of liberty that such devotion deserved americas gratitude. His emerging acceptance of the veterans as the body politic may or may not have been the beginning of a broader willingness to include africanamericans in society. For sure, it eliminated any talk of voluntary deportation or colonization outside of the United States. As it mirrored africanamericans own efforts for full citizenship, it encouraged them to press that much harder for their vision vision of what america could be. In the years and decades that followed emancipation, their actions along with the efforts of nonblack supporters facilitated the repeal of black codes in the midwestern states, challenged jim crow legislation in the south, desegregated the educational system, and operated to stop housing and employment discrimination throughout the nation. The Long Civil Rights Movement beginning during this time and continuing throughout the efforts of the great activist of the 1950s and 60s, benefited all americans because it brought them closer to lincolns vision. Our 16th president knew that the country would never meet the state of perfection but he believed we owed it to ourselves to come as close as was humanly possible to attaining it. In his address to the 166 ohio regiment in 1864, he reminded the soldier with the war was about. Through a free government, they would have an open field and a fair chance for their industry, enterprise and intelligence. A free government would allow them equal privileges in the race of life with all its desirable humid aspirations. Lincoln reminded them that the nation was worth fighting for. To secure such an inestimable jewel. How do we do our part to get the nation closer to that state of perfection . Again, lincoln provides the answer. In his speech to residents of indianapolis in february 1861 before the war had begun, he stopped on his way to take office in washington. He reminded them that the preservation of the union and the liberties enjoyed rested in their hands. It is your business to rise up and preserve the union and liberty for yourselves and not for me. Not with politicians, not with president s, not with Office Seekers he declared. Americans would have to decide for themselves whether or not the country was worth fighting for and would have to act accordingly. There is some truth in the argument that those who have been denied liberty hold it most dear. I have friends and acquaintances who believe as lincoln did in the promise of the declaration of independence. They have come from areas where freedom and liberty are neither expected nor permitted. Recently, they have grown concerned that those freedoms they have come to enjoy in america will fade away. They are not alone. We would do well to remind ourselves of what lincoln said to the soldiers in indianapolis. With you is the question. Shall the union and shall the liberties of this country be preserved to the latest generations . Only we have the answer to that question. Thank you. applause i love your statement of emerging acceptance of blacks in society because we all recognize the role of lincolns own evolution as coming to a certain position. Do you think the military aspects of that helped annette evolution . It had everything to do with it. Lincoln first started out believing it was of no use to include black men to the military because they would not be Strong Enough to stand up against their former owners in the battlefield. He thought they would be cowards and run away. He found out quickly the black men were anything but that. Before the end of 1863, he was writing to people saying my commanders in the field are saying they are doing very well. If we are to be successful, it will be in part at least because of what these men are doing. He did understand that america owed a debt to these black men who helped to preserve the union. I think had he lived and im not supposed to do this because this is not what historians do, we dont speculate. Im going to do it anyway. I think had he lived, he would have pressed for any kind of assistance for the veterans. Things would have been slower with everyone else. He still had certain feelings that the formerly enslaved who were not the veterans were not quite ready for citizenship. He probably would have taken it a little bit slower but for the veterans, absolutely. I think he would have put his full force behind giving them certain rights. The group whose status was most changed by Abraham Lincoln and the civil war is africanamericans. We see very few africanamericans at this meeting. What could the forum do to make this meeting more attractive to africanamericans . I dont know ive been trying to do it for 24 years. laughs and i have not been successful. Although there are people of color in the audience. We need to do a little more here but im really pleased that when i go places now, i do see africanamericans in the audience. I was just in erie, pas living on wednesday. There were at least 10 or 12. I was very pleased that people did come out. I think im going to go out on a limb here, keep in mind i dont speak for all africanamericans but this is what i think is happening. I think that we have as a people have a tendency to stay away from places that we dont think we are necessarily expected to be. Its not that the forum has done anything to discourage people. The form has done everything imaginable to bring people in but i think that still we have an issue about where we are welcome. I see it at Public Places as well. I tell this story all the time. My family went to the grand canyon many years ago. We were in the park all day and during that entire time, we saw only six people of color and three of them were us. laughs i think it really does have to do with African Americans not feeling that they are welcome or that they belong. I have brought my students in the past here and they have absolutely loved it. That is what we have to do more of. We have to bring more students in and let them see that this is a great learning experience in many ways not just in terms of the civil war but in terms of the interaction as well. I come back here every year for two reasons. To learn for my colleagues who are experts in these areas that i am the expert in. And to see people that i have met over the years because i consider them friends. I think we need to get over that chasm that separates us. We need to do some more work. I am very pleased to see you as a speaker here and i thank you for your attendance. Thank you. applause i am a first timer from raleigh, north carolina. Welcome. Thank you so much for being here. 2019 is the 400 anniversary of the first africanamericans from angola arriving in jamestown. It was celebrated not celebrated but acknowledged in august at jamestown. That is 400 years where slavery began in british america and it lasted for 246 years until 1865. We are only in the 154th year of universal freedom in this country. I have reached out to several universities and their africanamerican department to try to determine, i cannot find in the research any studies done on the number of africans imported to the United States or africanamericans, the total number that lived, were born, lived and died in human bondage. That number, i talked to several historians it could be as high as 24 million people. We only talk about the 4 million who were freed. I would love to see a study done maybe the forum to take it on or a university such as howard. I realize the research would be incredibly difficult. To go to the census before 1790 they dont exist but i would love to see a study when we can finally acknowledged the sin of slavery in the millions not just 4 million probably 20 to 30 million human beings who never breathed a life, a breath of freedom. Yes absolutely i agree with you and the study needs to be done. If there is any wealthy person in the audience who wants to bankroll this, i would be happy to lead the study in all seriousness. I think youre absolutely right this does need to be done. I think it would be great for the nation. It would be great for the world. It is history and i think we need to know the answer to that. If anyone is willing to raise the funds for that, i will stay around long enough to lead it. laughs i just wanted to let you know that Abraham Lincoln in 1858 refused to sign a petition to permit africanamerican testimony in the state of illinois. He was joined by another. Was that just a political statement or did he really believe it . I dont know and thats why would come to you, roger. I have not found anything that suggested that lincoln actually did anything about overturning some of those black laws that illinois had established. I know h four douglas blasted him for having done that. When he became a president ial candidate, it was douglas who said he doesnt believe in the abolition sentiment of Abraham Lincoln because he remembered that lincoln had refused to do that. It very well may have been because of politics. It may very well have been because of the politics. Well never know. All we have to go by is what he said in the debate and that is not always encouraging of course what he did he did a lot that was beneficial to African Americans, so i wish that someone could solve that problem for me and roger, i was hoping that you would be able to do that, because i know you have studied the black laws in illinois. Thank you so much. applause wonderful speech