Followed by a brief q a should there be time for us to do that. I am so pleased tonight to introduce two of our friends and colleagues, the first being dr. Saje mathieu. Dr. Mathieu is an associate professor of history at the university of minnesota. She is just finishing a faculty fellowship at Harvard Universitys center for studies in American History. She earned a joint phd in history and africanamerican studies and specializes in 20th century american and africanAmerican History with an emphasis on immigration, war, race, globalization, social movements and political resistance. She is the author of a number of books, one of which is available outside and i would encourage you to grab a copy while you can. An oncoming book as well, the glory of their deeds a global history of black soldiers in the great war era. And saje was working on that book as part of your work at the warren center. Are we close to publication . I started it when i was five. So it is almost done. Really saje i
The bulk of the lecture is going to be presenting new evidence drawn from my research and others on the antebellum political culture. I have three major areas as evidence to talk about today. Tobacco culture, political friendships, and affairs of honor. Like we often do in the class, we are going to start with the image on the screen. Im going to ask you to tell me what you see. This is Lady Washingtons reception from 1861. Take it in. Who can point out something you see right away that strikes you . Lady washington is on a platform. Prof. Balcerski how high do you think she is . Off the ground . Like a foot. Prof. Balcerski thats a good piece there. What else . Everyone is dressed up fancy. Prof. Balcerski like you are today. Exactly. Very fancy. The ladies are wearing gowns. How about a third thing . Go ahead, jimmy. It looks like they are fairly close together. They may be dancing. They are all close together. Prof. Balcerski very good. I should say about Lady Washingtons reception,
Century ago, we seek eisenhower now. From every horizon, from women and youth, farms and factories, even from democrats who place principle above party, for all the people of america mister american Dwight David Eisenhower. Misses eisenhower, your the presence of Dwight David Eisenhower in america and around the world. We gather today in mo urning but also ingratitude. We mourn Dwight Eisenhowers death, but we are grateful for his life. We gather also that conscious to the fact and paying tribute to Dwight Eisenhower, we celebrate greatness. When we think of his place in history, we think inevitably of the other giants of those days of world war ii. And we think of the qualities of greatness and what his work that made his unique among all. Once perhaps without intending to do so, he himself put his finger on it. 1945, shortly after dday at a ceremony in londons historic gall. Hall. The triumphant Supreme Commander of the allied forces in europe was officially given the freedom of the
Admiral why do you refer to yourself as the accidental admiral . [laughter] what a great question. You can choose to hear a particular course you will lose ultimately in a different direction. And then to be in charge of all activity and with the commander of us Pacific Command position for senior admiral. My boss, a wonderful boss, secretary gates called to say forget about the pacific we will send you to nato i bk the first and only admiral to be the supreme allied commander and it was an accidenthe. That the navy was an accident as a career . Soet somewhat. That my father had kernel of marines growing up in that environment and going to Quantico High School thinking it would be them marine corps everybody goes out on a cruise going on a cruise are in san diego. Late in the day on the peer and the sun was setting looking out on all that ocean and i just wanted to be a sailor. I told my dad and mom they were hoping it would be a marine that years later my dad said that came out okay.
Youll move ultimately in a different direction. More prosaically it comes from a period in my career when i was a four star admiral, fish issuing the u. S. Sorry command and charge of all military activities south of the out and i was very hopeful of going pacific next as a commander of u. S. Pacific command. Which is a very traditional position for a senior admiral. My boss, wonderful boss, secretary defense robert gates, bob gates, said, stavridis. Were going to send you to nato. I was the first and thus far the only admiral to be spree supreme am lied commander in nato and just an accident of timing and faith and secretary gate decision. So from the nato perspective i was at the dental admiral who became the supreme allied expired but the navy was an accident as well, one it, as a career . Guest somewhat. So, lets go way back. I grew up in a marine corps family. My father, george stavridis, proud colonel of marines, fought in korea and vietnam. I grew up in that environment, and so