Cribb, historian and author of the historical novel old abe. He is your to talk to us about the 157th anniversary and the lasting significance of president lincolns gettysburg address. Good morning. Guest good morning. Thanks for having me. Host you wrote earlier this today the gettysburg address is more important for our nation than ever. Tell us why. Guest because the gettysburg address speaks to a problem that has been around as long as human beings or at least society has been around and that is the problem of our people going to rule themselves or are they going to be ruled by others . People who would otherwise take their freedom away. Lincoln knew that problem never goes away, it doesnt. He said it is an ageold problem. That is really what he in the end was speaking to in the gettysburg address. Day, today as in his day, there are forces around the world who want to take freedom away from people here and abroad. We always have to be on our guard against them. Lincoln knew that.
The 157th anniversary and the lasting significance of president lincolns gettysburg address. Good morning. Guest good morning. Thanks for having me. Host you wrote earlier this today the gettysburg address is more important for our nation than ever. Tell us why. Guest because the gettysburg address speaks to a problem that has been around as long as human beings or at least society has been around and that is the problem of our people going to rule themselves or are they going to be ruled by others . People who would otherwise take their freedom away. Lincoln knew that problem never goes away, it doesnt. He said it is an ageold problem. That is really what he in the end was speaking to in the gettysburg address. Day, today as in his day, there are forces around the world who want to take freedom away from people here and abroad. We always have to be on our guard against them. Lincoln knew that. If you look at the gettysburg address am a he talks about rededicating ourselves to the prin
You can cherry picked certain things, but later on during his presidency he gains quite deep respect and affection even springfield. He lived in the neighborhood, this was back in illinois, a neighborhood that was full of africanericans. He became friendly to them and he kept corresponding with several of them while he was in the wte house. While he was in the white house Frederick Douglass who was at first thought he was quite conservative of slary that in a couple of timesn the white house and really was astounded. He came out of this thing, this is the least prejudiced white person i think ive ever met. The same thing with sojourner truth. She was an oer africanamerican feminist and she said before i die i want to et this guy, this president abraham lincoln. Sh had a delightful time with him and felt very, very close to hi Martin Delaney who was, we would call him beyond black lives matter. Heas like a black nationalist. Very militant. He became at the end of the war, lioln appointe
Peter i am going to go ahead and turn it over to john. I want to start with something i read in the introduction. Just absolutely fascinated by. And it is about your father. It is really a lovely story. Irwin silber. Book, published a songs of the civil war. He was not like a diehard civil war buff. He was not that kind nina he did like to sing the songs. Peter i have a question about your father. This is what you wrote. This book is not about my father civil war. It is partly about the people who created the civil war my father came to love as well as those who created the kind of civil war that he despised. So tell us, what did you mean by that . How can that help us sort of frame your book . Then we will turn it over to john. Nina so i think come in terms of the kind of the civil war that he came to love, i guess i would say that was the civil war i am going to say it was the civil war created by the popular front. By that, i mean this sort of loose coalition of civil rights organiz
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