A depiction of the Brooks-Sumner Affair, a 1856 incident in which abolitionist U.S. Senator Charles Sumner was beaten by pro-slavery Representative Preston Brooks at the U.S. Capitol. The 1850's are one of the periods examined by SUNY Plattsburgh Professor Scott Reznick.
May 03, 2021 —
Political division in American society is at the highest level seen in decades, according to analysis from the Pew Research Center.
Historians seeking to understand ideological battles of the past often look to political speeches and news articles for context, but one North Country scholar thinks we should also consider another source: works of fiction.
Scott Reznick, an English professor at SUNY Plattsburgh, is writing a book about how works of American fiction can be used to analyze the social and political debates of the past. He spoke with NCPR's Ryan Finnerty.