Born in 1818 in lexington, kentucky, mary todd grew up in a slaveholding family yet lived to her see her husband Abraham Lincoln issue the emancipation proclamation. A mother of four sons he witnessed the death of three of the four as well as her own husbands assassination. Though her life was filled with tranlgly, as lincolns political partner, she also rely i should in their success. As we focus on the civil war years, one of the defining moments in our countrys history, a look at the life and times of Mary Todd Lincoln, one of the most complex first ladies ever to live in the white house. Thanks for being with us for cspan continuing series on first ladies influence and image. Tonight as we look at Mary Todd Lincoln, we invite two of our academic advisers for the whole series to be our guests for this program. Let me introduce you to rosalynn toreberg penn. And Richard Norton smith, our guest and at our table is the director of five president ial libraries including the Abraham Linc
Perspective, i want to thank all of you out there for all of the incredible support that you show the writers everywhere in the very, very difficult time that we are all facing. All of us at the Miami Book Fair are thinking of you and really helping that you and your families are safe and healthy. We are presenting the series, not only with the Miami Book Fair because they like family to us and we have always wanted to think them and we do think them for all that they do and a lot of people have been asking about the book fair and we will be mounting a book for this year whether its virtual, physical or combination of both, its a little too early to tell. We also want to think to sponsors, one is a literary hub. Com and also my very own culture crusaders. This evening, we are thrilled to welcome our good friend brad meltzer, to celebrate the publication of his new book the lincoln conspiracy. This is a phenomenal book and we have been with brad just about for every one of his books, we
Dwight pitcaithley. [applause] ms. Drake dr. Pitcaithley nick promised he was not going to include the rockstar part. Thanks to nick for that wonderful introduction. Thank you that we can have a conversation that goes on for another 30 or 45 minutes. Robert and moran, who, many of you know, was a Pulitzer Prize civil war is our only felt history. History lived in the national imagination. I think thats true whether your ancestry goes back that far or not. My mostly does not. But the civil war affects ken burns, maybe its part of the dna. We think about it a lot. Every year when i teach the civil war course, the first day i give my students an exam and i ask them, in a word or phrase tell me what caused the civil war, what caused secession . Without secession there is no civil war. Everybody has an answer. Its not the same answer. But they all have an answer. Its states rights no, no, no. Its labored. No, its the tariff. General economic issues. I think its cultural differences to train
Im very happy about that. So where are we going to go . Lets talk quickly about the lincoln conspiracy. We all know john wilkes booths store, how he ended abraham agains life and his presidency and this is the first secret plot to kill Abraham Lincoln is at the start of the presidency, before it begins. Why does it happen . When abraham i can is going to raise his right hand and become the sixteenth president of the United States the only way he can do that is take a train from his home in springfield and go to washington dc. He goes to washington dc and the only way to get from illinois to dc is on any train, you have to go through baltimore and baltimore was a slave state. The plot of the book is very simple. A secret society is planning to kill Abraham Lincoln, and ambition when he comes to baltimore in and his friend is presidency before it begins. That is the setup but what i think is interesting is the action, just where it begins. We open on this train and it is speeding through
Nick so since he retired, he teaches at new mexico state university, teaches about history and Civil War History and he had a book that came out this week, the u. S. Constitution and secession. It is my distinct pleasure and honor to introduce you to dr. Dwight pitcaithley. Dr. Pitcaithley he promised he was not going to include the rockstar part. Best laid plans. Thank you for coming tonight. Thanks to nick that wonderful introduction and thanks to the grant site for hosting this event. Im going to talk about 25 or 30 minutes, and then alternative over to you, so you can talk about whatever you want to talk about, and we hope that during my time, i have been provocative enough that we can have a conversation that goes on for another 35 or 40 minutes. Robert jim moran, who many of you know, threetime loser prizewinner, wrote that the civil war is our only felt history, history lived in the national imagination, and i think that is true, whether your ancestry goes back that far on not.