I would also like to recognize and thank one of our trustees who has joined us today, david blight. One of our panelists. Opportunity tois say how proud we are to count david among our trustees at New York Historical. I want to recognize laura washington and mercedes franklin, who are cochairs of our Frederick Douglass counsel. Of course, welcome all members who have joined up today. Who have joined up today. [applause] and i want to recognize a if not, my colleagues are going up and down the aisles with notecards and pencils. The notecards will be collected later on in the program. There will be a book signing following the program this morning. The book signing will take place right outside these central doors in the smith gallery. Copies of the books are available for purchase at our ny History Museum store, which is located to my left on the 77th street side. We are really, truly delighted to welcome our guest speakers. David blight, professor of American History and director of th
Across the nation. As we plan for the future of fords theater, we know we have work to do. We commit to using our platform to tell stories that speak to the present moment with courage, inspiration, healing, and of course, Abraham Lincoln. Today, were talking with richard, craig, and david about a specific play in which they all took part, necessary sacrifices, which fords theater premiered in 2012. Fords commissioned richard to write the play to celebrate leadership in 2011. This play explores the relationship between president Abraham Lincoln, played by david selby, and the abolitionist Frederick Douglass, played by Craig Wallace. It seems particularly important this week to consider the leadership of these two great americans as they helped our country find its way through one of our greatest crises. So i want to start this afternoon just by, first of all, welcoming you all. Thank you so much for being with us, from across the country, california and d. C. We go coasttocoast here. I
Itself. So, for those of you that missed last week program, lets talk about this book, the civil war and 50 objects. How effective do you think it is at conveying the narrative sweep of the civil war in only 50 objects . Well, it came about, as i confessed last week, because louise asked me to undertake the project for the Historical Society. It was a lucky day for me. And youll remember that we got to see, i dont know, three times 50 objects, arrayed before us on some conference tables in the Historical Society. So, it was a matter of picking representative objects, exciting objects, which, as you say, stand in the for the big history of the civil war. Item by item, personal story by personal story. And it was remarkable at the end that we constructed the history of the war from the Abolitionist Movement to the 13th amendment, which abolished slavery. Great. And it was great fun to work with you on that project too. I feel the same. Yeah. So, our topic this evening is fighting slavery
Of fords theatre we know we have work to do. We commit to using our platform to tell stories that speak to the present moment with courage, inspiration, healing and of course ache ham lincolns legacy. Today were talking with richard, craig and david about a specific play in which they all took part, necessary sacrifices which ford premiered in 2012. This play explores the relationship between president Abraham Lincoln played by david selby and the abolitionist Frederick Douglas played by Craig Wallace. Its important this week to consider the leadership of these two great americans as they helped our country find its way through one of our greatest crises. So i want to start this afternoon by just first of all welcoming you all. Thank you so much for being with us from across the country, california and d. C. We go coast to coast here. Lets start with richard. Bit m play, richard. How and why did you put the play together . Okay, basically, its the story of two meetings that happen at t
Too many times to count. So we are thrilled to have them with us today. Say weid also like to have been watching demonstrations unfold in our neighborhood and across the nation as we planned for the future of fords theater. We know we have work to do. We commit to using our platform to tell stories that speak to the present moment with courage, inspiration, healing, and of course, abraham lincoln. With, were talking richard and david about a specific play in which they all took part, necessary sacrifices, which fords theater premiered in 2012. Fords commissioned richard to write the play to celebrate leadership in 2011. This play explores the relationship between president abraham lincoln, played by david selby, and the abolitionist Frederick Douglass, played by Craig Wallace. It seems particularly important this week to consider the leadership of these two great americans as they helped our country find its way through one of our greatest crises. So i want to start this afternoon just