frederick douglass later wrote in his autobiography this was the first anti-slavery lecture he experiencedand it gave him the motivation to learn and realized information is knowledge. in order to facilitate his learning, frederick then used a resource he had at hand. one of those was because of his place in the house and his loft near the kitchen, he had access to food, biscuits and warm bread. in that situation he was better off than some of the white immigrant boys that were his neighbors. he was able to barter bread for lessons from his white playmates. >> and a quote from frederick douglass's book. iet out with high hope and a fixed purpose that whatever cost of trouble would learn how to read. so was mrs. alt a hero? prof. medford: she certainly was to him. he admired her for the rest of his life. he talked about her fondly. she was trying to do the right thing. but he used her in another way. he used her as an examp because he said after her husband told her she was wrong in teaching him, her whole demeanor changed toward him. and so he used that as an example of what slavery does t

i mean, lincoln was, you know excited to be with frederick douglass or to see him? and he would fill up lecture halls. people would be packed in to encounter him. and there's many episodes leading into the civil where douglass is center stage. but yet he met john brown of all of osawatomie, kansas and, and most famously of harpers ferry. john brown trying to seize a federal and hand out guns so enslaved people could revolt. and douglass begged off of that. that was a bridge, too, for him. but the people love douglass were like emerson and thoreau and alcott intellectual crowd of greater boston area. we saw mae's father. yes, yes. well, we are physically next door to. the supreme court right here at the library of congress and. the next book, the common law by oliver wendell holmes jr towards property contracts and says the life of the law has not been logic. it has been expiring so why is this on this list? i was surprised that he was on the list. not that oliver wendell holmes jr is not a giant and i mentioned why, but i really didn't ever read common law. i mean it

today in this special broadcast, we begin with the words of frederick douglass. born into slavery around 1818, douglass became a key leader of the abolitionist movement. on july 5, 1852, in rochester, new york, frederick douglass gave one of his most famous speeches, "what to the slave is your fourth of july?" he was addressing the rochester ladies anti-slavery society. this is james earl jones reading the historic address during a performance of "voices of a people's history of the united states." it was co-edited by howard zinn. the late great historian introduced the address. howard zinn: frederick douglass, once a slave, became a brilliant and powerful leader of the anti-slavery movement. in 1852, he was asked to speak in celebration of the fourth of july. >> fellow-citizens, pardon me, allow me to ask, why am i called upon to speak here today? what have i, or those i represent, to do with your national independence? are the great principles of political freedom and of natural justice, embodied in that declaration of independence, extended to us? and am i, the

you know■y frederick douglass. abraham lincoln.ow how they're related t each other and the around them that make our country great. and i think you agree thg fathes were our countries up of everyday people, so-called everyday average people, extraordinary things, not for themselves to get famous because they believe in the cause and the country. ntion that i wanted to do it so of coming up to delaware and of hours with you guys, it's my especially to talk about tse booker t and thae wrong direction. so they okay, i was a little bit too far ahead. don't look don't so this is how two ming about your george floyd and how we're divided, i'd to talk aboue clearly were divided with segregation. and jimway to come together from very disparate lifestyles. think about it. you couldn't be more different. so youer t washington. you talk about a guy born in y who never knew who his father was, never had shoes, never hado remembers when union soldiers came house on the plan, and he told everyone anth annout around what he believes was the emanc

part of that is houston and my goodness, part that is for frederick douglass as well as frederick douglass in abraham lincoln. abject poverty. lincoln, one year of formal schooling he learns to read learns write runs for office loses most the time, loses a senate race and, captures america's imagination, starts this new party at the perfect. the party splits enough for him to win with 5% of the vote and half the country voting for him ends up being arguably our best president. and when i talk about a in frederick douglass born in slavery, never knew his mom, never knew his dad, just determined to matter in life, got himself educated, overcame things i can't imagine reminds me of half luther king, malcolm x or third malcolm x up luther king and muhammad ali. he was privy active. he was direct. he was he was charming, was charismatic. and the guy had a inspirational. he ends up being his own editor, publisher a self-taught, charismatic speaker. i can't begin to tell. can't get my head around what he overcame to be this impactful player. one of the greatest americans ever that had every reaso

frederick douglass in august of 1863, even to the white house and confronts on these issues. and lincoln to douglass essentially black men will eventually get equal pay. i just politically can't do it yet. and as you might imagine if you know anything about frederick douglass, he was not altogether satisfied with that answer, but he did go away. that meeting with an appreciation lincoln treated him as a man, as an equal. shook his. welcomed him into his office. and that lincoln was under constraints. eventually, black men would equal pay, but it would take a year, some and more than a year for those who had been born into bondage. dr. medford set us up for this next letter. yes the pay issue was certainly most important thing that black men had to deal with. they had many other issues to contend. you know, the disease rate among black soldiers was higher than among white soldiers broken down equipment. all the rest but some of men were so frustrated by that, they actually stacked arms. they refused to fight or they didn't accept any pay at all. and those who stacked arms the l

most unlikely places you can in that is houston and my goodness, pr frederick douglass as well as fredericklincoln, one year of formal learns write runs for office loses most the time, loses a senatee and, captures america's imagination, starts this new party at the perfect. the party splits enough for him to win with 5% of the vote and half the country voting for him ends up being arguably our best president. and when i t slavery, never knew his mom, never knew his dad, just determined to matter in life, got himself educated, overcame things i can't imagine reminds me of half luther king, malcolm x or third malcolm x up luther king and muhammad ali. he was direct. he was he wasd a inspirational. he ends uppublisher a self-taug, charismatic speaker. t ■abegin to tell. can't get my head around what he overcame t tpactful player. one of the greatest americans ever that had every reason to be angry at america. but all he wanted to do was make america because he knew it's constitution. we weren't living up to. we didn't have a flawed titution. he evolved to that. which brings me to and booker t

he thought the mcguffey reader, which he would just read in his log and frederick douglass, my god, if you want any rebuke every morning i do i actually browse rather than read think of frederick. what was the point where he felt most crushed in his liberty? it was when his wicked master told, his mistress, not to teach him to read. and he felt the enslavement of my mind was even greater than the enslavement of my body. and he snuck out and pre and paid boys on the streets of baltimore with bread to teach him to read. and then he got this book, the colombian warrior, which is summed up the classical wisdom with little excerpts, and that inspired him to be the greatest abolitionist of all time and books so precious to them. and and we can do it, too. all we need is the discipline to read. it's absolutely extraordinary we can do it too. except it seems in this age to imagine our political leadership being contemplative, you know, because of beating. and it's not just social and it's not just the coming of age, but it's all that. it's those things and many more things. the whole system se

roger goblet -- frederick douglass should be regarded as the founder of american democracy.ardon, we never got to see that president held to account. never got to see the crimes, such as the attempted break-in at the brookings institution. his order to take a safe out. to rob it on a free pre-basis, as he puts it on the tapes. these are things we should've seen in a criminal trial, but the pardons stopped all of that. so throughout american history, and i say it in the book, we have recovered that citizens have given us hope by reclaiming democracy against adams, against buchanan. when it came to nixon, citizens of the grand jury, residents of washington, d.c. who tried to indict the president were stopped by the pardon and we never got to see justice done. and really that is what we've got to do, we've got to reclaim this constitution for ourselves. we got to see democracy restored. not by the court. that is not going to have it. not by congress. but by citizens demanding the restoration of a democratic constitution and saving it from what unfortunately some presidents have

his book, the black hearts of men, won the frederick douglass book prize and. his book, giants the parallel lives of frederick douglass and abraham lincoln, was a national bestseller. this introduction could go on much, much longer, but it stops. there because it is a pleasure for me to welcome manisha sinha back to a to welcome john stauffer here for conversation and now over to manisha. thank you, scott, for that very generous introduction and i thank everyone who showed up here in the middle of the week to help me launch this book. i'd really like to begin by thanking all the staff at the american antiquarian society as scott just mentioned, i did much of my research for this book here in the archives and the whole world was shut down because of the pandemic. i had the privilege of being able to research this book, so i'm extremely grateful to the people at the american antiquarian society, and i think it's only appropriate that i'm launching this book here today. i thank nan will return for inviting me to do this program and i thank my good friend who in my

frederick douglass and thomas paine geek are really done that. we think the comments and for showing how deep the wealthy threat goes we understand is not just the plan has been developed the real danger the fertile ground the blossoming inside a conservative administration. the supreme court could not care less about the fundamental checks and balances roman into the fabric of our constitution said i was much two weeks ago he said the supreme court ruling yesterday on immunity is of vital. that part of the project and the supreme court majority got their memo. these extremists are terrifyingly close to unleashing this deranged senseless agenda on the american people. they want to take us back not to 1954 by 1864. a full agency and franchise of the great american republic huge corporations work folks like farm and project 2025 is not some frivolous exercise. project 2025 is not a frivolous academic exercise. this is a well resourced, deeply invested in. over 100 organizations are accustomed to being able to drive their agenda through in administr

you see, we are the republican party of frederick douglass, and of abraham lincoln.re not simply the party of our leaders. we are also the party of the young woman in wisconsin taking over her family farm. an hispanic father working 16 hour days in nevada. and a black teenager in philly starving for opportunity. we are not just the grand old party of the past. we are the great opportunity party of america's future. [applause] and there's only -- hear me clearly -- and there's only one person who can make that vision a reality. donald j. trump! god bless america! [applause]

with frederick douglass and thomas paine geek i really done that.r congressman for showing us how deep the well of the threat goes. he understands the problem is not just this plan has been developed to the reale danger is the fertile ground where it can enjoy blossoming inside of a conservative administration. operatives would work with us a congressman called at eight neoconservative neo- minorca supreme court that could not care less about the fundamental checks and balances woven into the fabric of our constitution the heritage president said as much two weeks ago he said the supreme court ruling yesterday on immunity is vital. clearly, that is part of the project and clearly the supreme courtje majority got their memo. these extremists are terrifyingly close to unleashing this deranged senseless agenda on the american people pray they want to take us back not to 1964 bit 1864 men made decisions for women. people looks like me did not have the full agency and franchise of this great american republic. huge corporations works folks like farm anim

first african-american professional musician, marie williams, to perform at the white house and frederick douglass introduced her. she also invited other black music groups, including students, to sing at white house events. helen nellie taft, who's in the bottom left hand corner, developed an appreciation for cultural diversity when they were in the philippines and. that taft was the governor general of the philippines at the time. she found that there was a color line and that the soul pianos were not being invited to events. well, she changed all of that. and they really considered her to be very egalitarian. she also looked at the plight of african-american immigrants who were in washington, d.c., and tried to do some things for them. and she invited them to white house open houses, which had not been done before, and added african-americans to the staff. she believed that education was a great equalizer, and she supported the start of kindergarten classes for black children. well, she's best known for bringing the cherry trees to washington. her civil rights activities are lesser known, but t

something that was part of that idea of advancing civil rights for african-americans, including frederick douglass, he gives frederick a federal job. he advocates for civil service reform. in fact, he up to roscoe conkling, roscoe conkling. actually, there's this big corrupt republican boss in new york. he ends up falling as a result of the actions of garfield. and in the end, he was probably the president most to credit for meaningful civil service, but not in the way he would have chosen in a train on the way to a college reunion, garfield is going to the platform and an insane man who was a disappoint at office seeker, a guy named charles guiteau, shoots him twice from behind and garfield probably would have been okay if the doctor suggests left him alone. but they kept poking and prodding him with unsterilized instruments, even their fingers, trying to find out where the is. and so he gets badly infected. and he lingers months before dying. and although this of course, is undeniably tragic, garfield's death may actually have been his biggest contribution to american politics. it's the shocking

absolutely sure as congressman raskin reminded us earlier that we are lifted up once again, the frederick douglass vision, the thomas paine vision of what it means to have a truly inclusive society. thank you so much for joining us today, let's go do the work. >> today on c-span the house is back at 9:00 a.m. eastern to consider a 2025 spending bill at the legislative branch. members may also vote on whetheto hold attorney

so i'm having a bad day i think margin having a conversation with frederick douglass.explained to him how difficult my day was. imagine a true conversation with tubman, i just had d to te you about my day-to-day. and then see the look that she will give you. we have to remember the historic context of the evolution of this country. of the evolution of our states. i think if we do that and we are willing to do with those who came before all switches go through the work and not to simply give up or retreat i think we are guiding ourselves to a better place. the first trip i took to a place called Ãthey were having a boil water advisory. to visit a guy named marek colburn, when i first met him he said governor, do me a favor, turn 360 degrees. so i turned. he said the only guarantee i can give you is you didn't see a democrat within five miles anywhere you just looked. he said but you know what, you're the first governor who's been here since 1996. 96. you've got to do the work. so i'm a big believer in this idea that i believe and i have faith that we will be better in f

frederick douglass famously said if there's no struggle, there's no progress. those who favor freedom. and yet deprecate agitation are men who want crops without plowing the ground. so my question for you, tina, is during the obama term in the white house, which particular struggles did you see? the first lady and your office regard as necessary to take on? well, i'm sort of laughing. and, you know, some of my colleagues from the obama administration are here. phil schiller and nancy-ann deparle, because actually struggles is how many in terms of what we face are over. we walked into the great recession and then we walked into you know, you know, trying to get the affordable care act passed. we walked into the repeal of don't don't is dead tell you so yeah there were there were a lot of. and your question about you know what did the first lady and our team view as necessary struggles actually is shaped by something that was a guiding principle for our work that mrs. obama articulated. and from the very beginning, she said there's only one person elected in this

the president and freedom fighter and frederick douglass, do you think for a second i would not -- wouldn use that word from the 1930s nor why ever be insensitive enough to even think it on the couch. >> ainsley: we know you very well, brian, no, you are would not. >> brian: right. >> steve: we all heard you say college. it was as clear as day. and now you have, you have. >> brian: i'm not going to bring it up again. >> steve: have you settled it. he said college. we have all gone to college. and now we are going to a commercial. and newt gingrich is coming up.c ♪am i have active psoriatic arthritis. but with skyrizi to treat my skin and joints, count me in. along with clearer skin, skyrizi helps me move with less joint pain, stiffness, swelling, and fatigue. and is just 4 doses a year, after 2 starter doses. serious allergic reactions and an increased risk of infections or a lower ability to fight them may occur. tell your doctor if you have an infection or symptoms, had a vaccine, or plan to. there's nothing like clearer skin and better movement and that means everything! ask your doct

for example, when i'm having a bad day i think to myself in maggie have a conversation with frederick douglassd explained to him a difficult my day was. right? [laughing] imagine a mayor landrieu, imagine having a conversation with harriet talbot and imagine a story, a two conversation, missed have attracted to about my today. and then see the look that she will give you. [laughing] -- harriet tubman. we have come in with a historic context of the evolution of this country. of the evolution of our states. i think if we do that and we're willing to do with those who can before stead, which is go to the work and not simply give up a retreat, then we are committing ourselves to a better place. governor cox knows this story. in my first days as governor the first trip i took outside was to place called -- over western maryland. they were happy a boil water advisory because they're having a water crisis. i went to go see the mayor out there who is turned into a friend. a guy named mayor coburn here mayor coburn when you first met in said governor, do me a favor. turn 360 degrees. so i turned. he sa

you had everyone from elizabeth cady stanton to frederick douglass, abolition's us -- abolitionists allay up through the next hundred years and then women in recent modern history who have fought for women's rights. we need to honor their legacy and what they went through to get us where we are today with now having to preserve this war on women coming from the republican party. women have been carrying this country on their backs whenever our country has been in trouble and needed them whether it was in warm or whether it was in times of struggle in this country, the women have stepped up and rescued this country and for the seneca project, our mission to galvanize women in this election, explaining what is at stake, we are doing that so we can save democracy and save this country once again in november because the war on women coming from donald trump and the republican party is real and we need to make sure women fully understand the stakes. >> you know, i was on the weekend earlier today and talked about the fact that it is such a huge tell, that the failure to talk about reproducti

you see, we are the republican party of frederick douglass and of abraham lincoln.nald reagan and donald trump! [cheering and applause] but we -- >> everyone: four more years! [chanting] >> four more years! i love it! >> everyone: [chanting] >> awesome. we are not simply the party of our leaders. we are also the party of a young woman in wisconsin, taking over her family farm, hispanic father working 16 our days in nevada and a black teenager in philly, starving for opportunity. where not just the grand old party of the past. we are the great opportunity party of america's future! [cheering and applause] and there's only -- hear me clearly -- and there's only one person who can make that vision a reality. donald jay trump! [cheering and applause] god bless america! [cheering and applause] >> ♪ ♪ >> jesse: hallelujah. that was senator tim scott moonlighting as a southern preacher on the vb shortlist for a long and brought down the house when he said america is not a racist country. so this is a party of lincoln, douglas, regan, trump but it's not the party of the pas

. ♪♪ >>> we are the republican party of frederick douglass and of abraham lincoln. [ applause ] >> ofonald trump! [ applause ] >> for leading us in this fight will be a man, although wounded and facing danger, he stood up and raised his fist and reminded us that our people and our country are always worth fighting for! >> with trump, our economy will boom again! you will have more money in your pocket again. your children will have a future again. together, i know we will make america wealthy again! >> you know, there is a certain literary classic by alexander demoss that shares the same with a candy bar that just came to mind but that trio, marco rubio and congressman byron donald all speaking this weekend at the national convention. for months, these three were the top contenders to be donald trump's running mate. but, as it happens in american life, the job went to the lesser qualify, white guy. ohio senator jd vance, young grad with humble beginnings who has just 18 months of experience working in public service. still, you would never realize that these guys were actually chosen

and frederick douglass, i think as a significant factor in changing those perspectives. but you don't have i don't think you have as much for voting rights, equality as you do for individuals who favor abolition. time for a few more questions. it's not exactly a question, but a very sad comment in a way that this is almost the old days when. soldiers could even think about this and see what they're doing. and now, with the days of ai and drones and you just. yeah, they're not involved. i mean, civilians said it's all civilians that they're there. and, you know, if you look if so, if you extend broadly right. throughout all of military history, there are numerous examples, al, you're an air force guy, right? there are examples of guys who are, you know, going on long range bombing missions and it weighs on them psychologically. they know they're causing massive amounts of destruction. they don't know to whom. and i was married to a b-52. yeah. yeah. i think we have time for. one more question. so we'll get in blue jacket, get. and then remember, if you have questions, i'm