Youd like to congratulate all of you who voted for the virginia ham sandwich as the sandwich of the year. I had one of them, and mine was not the deciding vote, i want you to know. Our next speaker is robert c. Kenzer. Bob is the William Benford vest chair of history at the university richmond, where he has taught for almost 25 years. For most of those year he has been the ally for the lecture series which we do each year jointly with the university of richmond in september. Like will green, bob has a bill cooper connection. Bill studied under the late david donnel at john hopkins university. Bob was also a david donnel student, although a few years later at harvard university. He teaches a wide variety of classes for the university of richmond, including several on aspects of the civil war in film. His Research Interest for many years has been civil war widows. He is currently researching a biography of a britishborn civil war widow, Elizabeth Louisa knights harris. Please help me wel
St uncorrected proof of that book standing at this podium during the introduction of our 2007 symposium about robert e. Lee z ofte as isn often true, theres a hi story behind elizabeths rise to historian. She studied with the now president of harvard university. And i must tell a story about drew. When she waswh madee the president of harvard, people were saying le, sh isnt this unbelievable . Shes the first female to be theto president of harvard and i commented to her that i thought it was more remarkable she was the first prepped of thefriend of the confederacy. But she embarked as a career at arlington house. She published clara barton professional angel. Meanwhile, her career took off in a different direction when she entered the u. S. Foreign service and served 20 years. Is now this is typical background for a civil war historian. Zabeth elizabeth served 20 years as a highly decorated senior diplomat and conventional arms negotiator for the state al department. She has spokenl al
Years has been civil war widows. He is currently researching a biography of a britishborn civil war widow, Elizabeth Louisa knights harris. Please help me welcome bob kenzer to the podium. [ applause ] before i begin my talk, i have a question for everyone in the audience. I want to do a little poll. How many of you this is the fifth of the five talks youve been it toto. I know one gentleman. Maybe half of you have been to all five. Okay. How many have been to four . Including this one obviously . Four. Three . Two . And one . Okay. Well, it just shows that youve been here before of the youve gone through the cycle. I begin with that question, oh, by the way, i have to tell you as you can see, im the fourth person whos speaking today. Originally, i was supposed to be the third person, but we changed the order a little. I have to wonder about conspiracies. [ laughter ] the fourth person has never been successful. [ laughter ] the fourth person comes after lunch. When your blood sugar is
Through his private letters. The book received eventually every prize in the world, i think elizabeth, the lincoln prize, our Jefferson Davis award, the richard b. Harwell book award and the Richard Slatten award for excellence in virginia biography. I personally had the opportunity to read aloud an expert from an uncorrected proof of that book standing at this podium during the introduction of our 2007 symposium about robert e. Lee. As is often true, there is a story behind elizabeths emergence as a major civil war historian. She earned an m. A. In history from the university of pennsylvania studying withdrew gilpin faust, the now the president of Harvard University and i must tell a story about drew. When she was made the president of harvard, people were saying isnt this an unbelievable, she is the first female to be the president of harvard. And i commented to her, i thought it was more remarkable that she was the first friend of the museum of the confederacy to be the first presid
Pennsylvania studying with the now president of Harvard University and i must tell a story about drew. When she was made the president of harvard, people were saying, isnt this unbelievable, she is the first female to be the president of harvard. And i commented to her, i thought it was more remarkable that she was the first friend of the museum of the confederacy to be the first president of harvard. [laughter] elizabeth embarked on a career as a historian for the National Parks service, working at the Clara Barton House and arlington house. In 1988, she published clara barton, professional angel are comeanwhile, her career took off in a different direction when she entered the u. S. Foreign service and served 20 years, now this is typical back ground for a civil war historian, elizabeth served 20 years as a highly decorated senior diplomat and conventional arms negotiator for the state department. She has spoken all over the world on American History. And american diplomacy. And appe