Witnessed the death of three of the four as well as her own husbands assassination. Though her life was filled with tragedy, she relished 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. We invite to history advisers for the whole series to be our guests for this program. Let me introduce you to roslynter borg penn. And Richard Nortan smith our guest and at our table is the director of five president ial libraries including the Abraham Lincoln library in springfield, illinois. Thank you both for being here. Mary todd lincoln and this is a question for both, well start with richard, is viewed in broad strokes, bouts of depression, criticism of her lavish spending and and indulgent mother and what do you see. Oh, boy. That
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
See here online at booktv. Org. Be change im delighted to introduce tonights arthur. Nancy malkiel is Professor Emeritus of history at Princeton University where she was the longestserving dean and the first woman dean, scholar of 20th american history, her previous books include whitney and young junior and the struggle for civil rights and farewell to the party of lincoln, black politics in the age of fdr. Her new book, keep the damned women out, recounts resistance to, the motivation for and implementation of Ivy League College like princeton and harvard as well as oxford and cambridge in england. This momentous change occurred at these elite institutions in 5 short years from 1969 to 1974. It didnt hit home to me how recently coeducation occurred until i was visiting colleges with my father 15 years ago, there are girls there. The comprehensive Archival Research details, in conservative institutions was driven mostly by men, University Leaders who were interested in preserving and
Nd is bob willard i have been president of the Abraham Lincoln institute in the past. This is the 17th symposium of my Abraham Lincoln institute wife and i are now ensconced in southern california. In the past couple of weeks the eyes of the nation were focused on the reagan president ial library. As america said goodbye to nancy reagan to you interests james baker and ron reagan junior both claim to that without mrs. Reagan there wouldve been no president reagan. Im not a real fan of iunterfactual history conduct have expressed that same view regarding mary lincoln. Is underscore this morning by sidney blumenthal. I have attended lots of events like this. Ive heard many presentations on mrs. Lincoln from friends and foes of this controversial first lady. Love her or hate her. There is little doubt in my mind that they love each other deeply and supported each other for better or worse in sickness and in health. Her support was an indispensable elements of his ambition. Our next speake
About the ways in which experience transforms attitudes. So lincoln grew but so did so many other americans. In my last book i wrote about a lot of soldiers. And one of the important elements of the emancipation proclamation can is when the army becomes an army of liberation, it changes their mind. The enslaved are an abstraction for the vast majority of northerners. So what does it mean when youre marching south and youre able to humanize african americans. The soldiers that medford talked about, very important, 179,000 men serving. So in all of these ways its not just lincoln. Its parts of a society thats trying to move ahead to solve what for them is lets pose it has a problem. The problem of freedom in the age of slavery. Thats a complicated problem. And on one hand vast strides are made. On the other hand 150 years later its a problem that the nation continues to have to address. I think for lincoln its that basic sense of allowing individuals to rise or fall on their own merits a