michael burlingame let us begin with you. tell our friends why you argue in your new book that lincoln was the black man's president. you have several speeches of frederick douglass that you begin with, including in 1865, the eulogy on lincoln. he said no class of people has a better reason implementing the death of lincoln then have the colored people. what is the then is the author of several books, including what we call the story speech in song, her new book is his greatest speeches, how lincoln moved the nation. welcome all of you. michael, let us begin with you. tell our friends, why you argue in your new book that lincoln was the black man's president. and you have several speeches of frederick douglass that you begin with including in 1865, the eulogy on lincoln, where he said no people a class or have a better reason implementing the death of lincoln than the colored people, so why do you believe that lincoln was a black man's president? >> thank you very much for your kind introduction. thank you very much for invit

michael burlingame let us begin with you. tell our friends why you argue in your new book that lincoln was the black man's president. you have several speeches of frederick douglass that you begin with, including in 1865, the eulogy on lincoln. he said no class of people has a better reason for lamenting the death of lincoln then have the colored people. what is the significance of that speech? why do you hold that lincoln was the black man's president? >> thank you very much for your kind introduction. thank you very much for inviting me. i feel a little out of place because the central theme of my book is, let's not focus on lincoln's speeches writings and the like, let's focus on lincoln's interactions with black people both in lincoln and washington. the title of the book comes from a eulogy from frederick douglass from june 1st in 1865 from cooper's union. the premier cited the country to give a major speech. it was covered widely in the new york press. it has been on accountability ignored by historians in anthropologis

michael burlingame, what do we know about the second inaugural? >> the second paragraph, of course, is the one that people know best. but frederick douglass, in that remarkable speech i mentioned earlier, the eulogy of june 1st, 1965, is the more remarkable paragraph as one the immediately proceeds. in which lincoln starts off by quoting jesus. woe until the world because of offenses, for when it needs to be the offense has come. but well until that man for whom the defenses commit. he goes on to say, if we should suppose that american slavery is one of those offenses, which, in the providence of god, must needs come? as gone there is appointed time, he comes now to move. he goes to both north and south this terrible war, as the lowdown on to them by whom the offense came. should we discern there in any departure from those divine attributes which the believers and the living god have always described to him? fondly do we hold, fervently do we pray, that this mighty scourge of war may speedily pass away. but, if god wills that it continue until al

michael burlingame, noah feldman, and diana schaub for constitutional conversation in the highest possible tradition. thank you so much! thank you friends for joining us i'm looking forward to seeing you all again soon. thanks, goodnight. ministration can. or do your copy today at c-span's shop dot org. or scan the shop with your smartphone. helping to fund c-span's nonprofit operation. >> i am pleased to announce a special mini-series of six lectures entitled great presidential lives. this series is particularl >> i am pleased to announce a special mini-series of six lectures entitled great presidential lives. this series is particularly attractive for two main reasons. the first being its timeliness. as we face a presidential election year and prepare for it it will be a insight that all of us can benefit from. the second is the speaker himself. our esteemed umw professor emeritus of history, william crowley, who has just completed 50 years on the faculty of the university of mary washington. during the half century, professor crawley has contributed in innumerable ways, significant ways

speech and song and her new book is his greatest speeches how lincoln moved the nation welcome michael burlingame noah feldman and diana schaub. michael berlin. let us begin with you. tell our friends why you argue in your new book that lincoln was the black man's president and you have you have several speeches of frederick douglass that you begin with including in 1865 eulogy on lincoln where he said no people at class of people in the country have a better. reason for lamenting the death of lincoln then have the colored people. what is the significance of that? speech? and why do you believe that lincoln was the black man's president? well, thank you very much for your kind introduction and thank you for inviting me. i feel a little out of place because my book is focused the central theme i'm book is let's not focus on lincoln speeches and writings and policies in the light. let's focus on lincoln's interaction with black people both in springfield and in washington, but the title of the book comes from a eulogy that frederick douglass delivered on june 1st 1865 in cooper union the premiere s