here you see a colorized image of james longstreet after. the war in civilian clothing. that tells you a great deal about what we're going to be discussing tonight. so front. but from the cover of that book to the back of that book to the very last sentence, which i was struck by, because i read the book backwards, you're you're you say that longstreet commands our attention as one of the most endure relevant voices in american history. so as a way of introducing your subject, what is it that is so important about james longstreet? why should we care, especially today? that's a great question. so james longstreet born 1821, died 1904, lived a long, influential and unlike early and impossibly dramatic life. and he was an actor in a participant in bore witness to and commented on the political turmoil of the 19th century the civil war reconstruction, the jim crow era. and part of the point of this book is suggest that that he has a great to to reveal to us about issues and problem that roil the 19th century and that still fascinate us today and roil our society today. poli