leading historian and author nell irvin painter. i'm maria hinojosa, this is one on one. nell irvin painter, it's great to have you here. you are the author of sojourner truth: a life, a symbol and your latest book, a history of white people. >> "the"... >> hinojosa: the history. >> ...history of white people. >> hinojosa: well, welcome, nell, to our program. >> thank you. >> hinojosa: so speaking of the history of white people... >> mm-hmm? >> hinojosa: do you think that there might be a time, let's say 100 years from now or 200 years from now, when other historians are looking back at this moment in history and saying, "oh, god, those silly americans of back then." and these would be other americans... >> yes. >> hinojosa: ...saying, "well, god, they divided people up into race!" >> yeah. >> hinojosa: do you think that that's possible? >> yes. if they're historians, they won't cast judgment, however. they'll just say, "in the past, americans divided people up by race." they also divided people up by religion, so it used to be a really big deal if you were jewish or catho

nell painter. that's pretty good and i rehearsed a lot. we were able to bring her here from princeton to the roosevelt house. please welcome professors patricia bell scott and nell irvin painter. [applause] would you like to say something about paulie merry before we start? >> i would like to say how pleased i am to be here at this event hosted by an institution that is part of the alma mater and. she came here in 1928 after having graduated from a small high school in the south and only went to the 11th grade which meant she had to come to new york and earned a second high school diploma so that she could be admitted. and if you read her autobiography, what you know is hunter of all the institutions he approached during the weekend here is the one place she found acceptance and encouragement and so she did come to hunter. she had all kinds of financial trouble associated drop out after her sophomore year but she eventually returned and one of the things that she always remembered and would credit hunter for were her relationships one was with a guard who was an english professor. as i was saying to my colleague we know her primarily as an activist and the first afric

trisha bell scott speaks with nell irvin painter at roseau house and new york city. more from the virginia testable of the book. including george carlin's daughter in her book a carlin home companion. and then author of breakthrough, the making of america's first president. looking at women political leaders and the advances that they are making in the political arena. she's interviewed by the chair and cofounder of cornell law school's avon global center for women and justice. >> for a woman to be at the head of the most powerful country in the world, when one of our key allies doesn't allow women to drive and are most significant enemy of this kind, isis, is executing women and girls for being women and girls, i think that sends a powerful message from the bully pulpit about what america stands for. >> booktv.org for the complete weekend schedule. >> joined c-span on friday at 1:30 p.m. eastern, for the funeral service for former first lady nancy reagan at the ronald presidential library in simi valley, california. michelle obama, former president george w. bush an