And also told was a great great great great grandfather. And thats my ancestor. And always remember you are a madison you come from african slaves and the president. What does that mean to you as a child . That sets of clear expectations i was reminded and that also i have slaves said my family and there is a lot to live up to. And your mother carried stories of the lineage told by her father before both were enslaved eight generations going back to the african woman kidnapped from her home country about to the United States this is a tradition tell me about that tradition and the role of the families. The tradition goes back thousands of years, probably before christ. And those that maintain entire cultures and their values forever. But primarily it is a tradition of oral history. So this is carried on for your family and your mother, she told the story there was a slight presentation she gave to organizations in the eighties called the black madisons lecture circuit in the fact she d
Tonight i am speaking with betty about her new book the other madisons. You can purchase the book directly from talk about one a cappella books and also a link provided on the website. As were talking we invite you to submit your questions and i will try to get to as many as time allows a retired physician and geneticist and the nominated essayist. Following a 30 year quest to confirm the lineage routes for a new generation thank you for being with us. I am happy to be a part of this program. Most of us grew up thinking of James Madison one of the founders of the country and the bill of rights what did you think or what we you told growing up . Just like anybody else. As an important figure in American History but i was also told he was my great great great great grandfather. So he is my ancestor. And you were told always remember you are and madison coming from african slaves and the president. What does that mean to you as a child . To me it set some clear expectations and was intend
The National Archives hosted this hourlong event. George washington was a dedicated diary archivist beginning with a record of the days temperature and weather and the notable events that day. The entry for figure 18, 1786, just before his 54th birthday is longer than most for washington, and a list today of all of my negroes. The list totaled 216 persons in the first child named, the 12yearold was a seamstress betty and only became the personal attendant of Martha Washington in 1899. The story is part of the president ial household is revealed in todays book, ties that bound founding first ladies and slaves. I will not take any more here. Other writings are available online. Founders online allows you to search across thousands of documents. Record boththe lofty and lending. Like founders online instead are history tell us much about the Founding Fathers, but to uncover information about the women of the founding era, we must dig deeper. Professor Jenkins Schwartz focuses on the men a
It just was from a different angle and it just seemed to me inappropriate and confusing to put out a book setting forth my ideas. It was such a hot topic for president bush, so i started writing a Childrens Book and that was an amazing and gratifying thing to do. I love those books till today. Host you are a history buff. Is that fair to say . Guest yes i am. Host you in your book, telling the truth which came out in the late 90s you wrote is sometimes said that a negative slant to what we are teaching now is overreaction to the two positive slant of the past and it is true that in the past we sometimes present a laboratory in our schools. Guest we did theres no question about it but i do think the reaction to that has been extreme. Sometimes i think our young people, our children dont learn about the greatness of this country, dont learn about what makes us exceptional. Host the beginning of telling the truth you are chairman of the National Endowment for the humanities. Guest yes, so
Now were live with author and former active lady, lynne chaney. Nowl be from now until 3 00 eastern. Shes written several books easr yncluding the most recent a biography of James Madison. Lynne cheney, what was your name when you were secretary . Guest they picked a letter of the alphabet and every one who has unrelated to detail has a code name that starts with a letter they choose and ours was [inaudible] also offer seemed like a natural and i has been close angle or because his fishing habits. Host did your writing style change while you were in all their . Guest know that my subject matter did. Id been working on a book for education when suddenly he was chosen to be Vice President and it wasnt as though the book i was working on really contradicted anything that president bush was saying out on the campaign trail. E it just seems to just seemed seems to me inappropriate and o confusing to put out a book sitting setting forth my ideas on education since it was a hotc topic for pre