history tv, all weekend, every weekend on c-span3. to join the conversation, like us on facebook. next on american history television, pulitzer prize-winning author eic foner on the challenges of establishing civil rights for friedman in the reconstruction period and beyond. eric foner. with that, i would like to introduce eric foner. eric when iuntered was a college student thinking about becoming an historian and had visions of riding a good book. then i read freemen, free soil, , maybe ir and thought ought to stop now. i will not be able to write a book that good. whatis is his first book, is he going to write? i ran away from antebellum history. you can t compete with people like him. i have come back to antebellum history and slavery and since then, i have relied on many of eric s more than 20 books. i would review the list, but we do not have that much time. i do want to say, and this is the fun of introducing a speaker, looking at his selected publications, i not
away from antebellum history and became a contemporary historian. because you can t compete with people like him. but eventually, i came back to antebellum history and slavery and since then, i have relied on many of eric s more than 20 books. i would read you the list, but we do not have that much time. i do want to say, though, and this is always the fun of introducing a speaker, looking at his selected publications, i notice he has written a book called dance for the city: 50 years of the new york city ballet, and i can think of no better preparation for giving a talk today, at this moment, on reconstruction and the radical republicans who helped reconstruct the nation than somebody who knows how to move quickly on his feet. [laughter] and with that, i would like to introduce my good friend, somebody who i admire enormously, the winner of the lincoln prize, the pulitzer prize, and i think every other prize that is available, eric foner. [applause] thank you, paul finkelm
good afternoon. welcome to united methodist church. i am the pastor of this congregation. we welcome you to this exciting event, sponsored by the alexander hamilton awareness society. an important event in their organization and for our aggregation here as well. john street church is the oldest methodist congregation in the united states. in very many ways, it is fair to say that this congregation grew up with this country. themes that are present in american history have defined this conversation as well. when we have learned the importance of the founding fathers in this country, i bring that lends to my experience here today. i look for the ways in which threads and influences of this church, the way those things are impacted by the likes of alexander hamilton. whatever you hope to learn, whatever questions you bring, whatever insights you plan to bring, hope you will find them fulfilled and i look 5 forward to sharing this time with you this afternoon. [applause] my
good afternoon. welcome to the methodist church. i m the pastor of this congregation. we welcome you to this exciting event sponsored by the alexander hamilton awareness society. an important event in their organization and an important vent for our congregation. we are the oldest meth death congregation in the united states. we are celebrating our 250th year. in many ways it is fair to say that this congregation grew up with this country. it seems that our presence in american history have defined this congregation s history as well. when we consider the legacy, influence, and importance of what we can learn from the founding fathers of this country, i think that lends to my experience here today. i look for those themes. i look for the ways in which the threads and influences of this church and the way in which those things are impacted by the likes of alexander hamilton. whatever it is that brings you here, whenever you hope to learn, whatever questions you bring, whatev
venues. david particularly in his book race in the union, has examined the postwar culture in america and eric has literally written the book reconstruction. has this wonderful new book that takes a look at lincoln s evolution on this issue, where it took the country. let me start by observing something that you all know, which is we are living in or maybe living through is a better era in which raw emotions are being continually laid bare about the status of americans, race relations, refugee status. we all know recent examples. let me tell you about one that occurred some months ago, but may have slipped through the cracks as we focus on current events. , hillary clinton was appearing in iowa, defending her choice, interestingly, as abraham lincoln as her favorite president. they asked secretary clinton, who is your favorite president? she said, i m sorry, bill. it s a ram lincoln. why, she was asked. it s abraham lincoln. why, she was asked. she said because he was w