leading. all episodes of american history tv lectures in history series are available to watch online, anytime, at c-span dot org slash history. pleas good morning. morning, my name is jonathan white and i am the vice chair of the lincoln forum. it s my pleasure to welcome tom clorox, who is a member of our executive committee to the stage, he is going to give a special presentation and then introduce our next speaker. good, morning everyone. . three years, ago the lincoln forum established an annual book prize. with a cash award of $1, 000, to honor outstanding scholarship on the life and career of our nation 16th president. published in the year preceding the presentation of the award. on behalf of the book prize committee, consisting of michel crowley, christian mick word or and daniel weinberg, it is my honor and pleasure to announce the 2021 lincoln book prize winner, james oakes for his book the crooked path to abolition, abraham lincoln and the anti slavery const