Coming up next Howard University history professor discusses the experiences of free to slaves following the civil war. She discusses education and Political Rights. She talks about their struggle to achieve them. This program was part of a symposium of the Lincoln Group of the district of columbia. You may wonder why we have this pulpit here. This pulpit is one that the pastor would have used when preaching and lincoln would have seen the pastor from this hope it. It was in the old era. That is when you have this heirloom. I would like to bring up the editor of our lincolnian journal lindy swanson. Having heard that, i am very honored to be standing at this pulpit and to introduce our next speaker, edna greene medford, who many of you know. She is a very treasured friend of the Lincoln Group and one of our members. She always provides us with wellcrafted, meaningful remarks. She is an author, much published. The chair of the History Department at howard and coauthor of the publication