Historian Edward Ayers discusses Abraham Lincoln’s unlikely presidential election win, why the Deep South seceded, and the shared interest of the Union and the enslaved. Ayers describes the evolution of Lincoln’s thinking on Emancipation over the course of the American Civil War.
Edward Ayers is an American historian, professor, administrator, and university president. He received a BA in American studies from the University of Tennessee and a doctorate in American studies from Yale University. He taught at the University of Virginia from 1980-2007, where he taught history and was Dean of the College and Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. He was awarded the university’s highest honor, the Thomas Jefferson Award, in 2006. The following year he was elected president of the University of Richmond, serving until 2015 when he became the Tucker-Boatwright Professor of the Humanities. He has been recognized with the National Humanities Medal and served as the president of the Organization of American Historians. Ayers is the author of six books on the history of nineteenth-century America including The Promise of the New South: Life After Reconstruction (1992), which was a finalist for both the National Book Award and the Pulitzer Prize. In the Presence of Mine Enemies, Civil War in the Heart of America (2003) won the Bancroft Prize for distinguished writing in American history and the Beveridge Award for the best book in English on the history of the Americas since 1492. The Thin Light of Freedom: The Civil War and Emancipation in the Heart of America, was awarded the Lincoln Prize from the Gilder Lehrman Institute and the Avery O. Craven Award from the Organization of American Historians.
The Apple TV+ series "Lincoln's Dilemma," features insights from journalists, educators and scholars, as well as rare archival materials, that offer a more nuanced look into the life of the Great Emancipator. Set against the background of the Civil War, "Lincoln's Dilemma" also gives voice to the narratives of enslaved people, shaping a more complete view of an America divided over issues including economy, race and humanity, and underscoring Lincoln's battle to save the country, no matter the cost. The series is narrated by award-winning actor Jeffrey Wright ("Angels in America") and features the voices of actor Bill Camp ("The Night Of") as Lincoln and Leslie Odom Jr. ("Hamilton") as Frederick Douglas.
To view the entire series please visit:
tv.apple.com/us/show/lincolns...
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Chapter Markers:
00:00 - Introduction
03:22 - Lincoln’s principles
06:52 - The South’s apprehension about Lincoln
09:27 - Secession
14:22 - Lincoln’s strategy with Virginia
18:22 - Lincoln was not an abolitionist
22:37 - Lincoln’s response to the eruption of violence
31:18 - Lincoln’s evolution on the institution of slavery and of enslaved people
37:46 - Lincoln’s interpretation of the Constitution
40:02 - General Butler’s “contraband” policy
43:35 - The shared interests of the Union and the enslaved
49:03 - Lincoln’s faith in democracy
56:00 - Enslaved people’s perception of the Civil War
57:07 - The role of Frederick Douglass
59:11 - Lincoln’s explanation and rationalization of the war as “God’s purpose”
1:02:37 - The evolution of Lincoln’s thinking on Emancipation
1:04:33 - The principal message of the Gettysburg Address
1:06:50 - The 1864 election
1:12:33 - Lincoln’s political calculus of the 13th Amendment
1:15:56 - The evolving legacy of Lincoln
1:18:31 - Historical perspective on Lincoln’s achievements
1:19:17 - Black Americans’ deeper understanding of freedom
1:21:56 - Reactions to Lincoln’s assassination
Edward Ayers, Historian
Interview Date: December 02, 2020
Interviewed by: Jackie Olive and Barak Goodman
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