Podcasts about fergus bordewich

Fergus Bordewich discusses his newest book, Klan War: Ulysses S. Grant and the Battle to Save Reconstruction. Mr. Bordewich explains how the Klu Klux Klan was America’s first terrorist organization intent on counterrevolution after the Civil War. How President Grant mobilized the Federal government to challenge and ultimately dismantle the Klan is the subject of […]

Year(s) Discussed: 1865-1877 The history of the Reconstruction era has in the past been deliberately misconstrued to downplay the achievements of Black Americans and the inhumanity of self-described white supremacists. In his latest work, Fergus Bordewich dispels the myths and explores the history of how the Grant administration worked to combat the terrorism of the Ku Klux Klan in order to save Reconstruction. Listen in to our conversation about the various individuals involved, the events of this time, and what we can learn from the history of Reconstruction. More information can be found on https://www.presidenciespodcast.com. Content Note: There is a brief mention of extreme violence and rape around the 29 minute mark in this episode. Please feel free to skip ahead about a minute if you would prefer not to listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Ku Klux Klan rose from the ashes of the Civil War. At its peak in the early 1870s, the Klan had tens of thousands of members, many of them landowners, lawmen, doctors, journalists, and churchmen, as well as future governors and congressmen. The Klan's mission was to obliterate the democratic power of newly emancipated Black Americans and their white allies, often by the most horrific means imaginable. To repel the tidal wave of violence, President Ulysses S. Grant waged a two-term battle against both armed Southern enemies of Reconstruction and Northern politicians seduced by visions of postwar reconciliation. In his new book Klan War: Ulysses S. Grant and the Battle to Save Reconstruction, historian Fergus Bordewich transports us to the hamlets of the former Confederate States and to the marble corridors of Congress, where an unsung generation of Black leaders tried to hold onto Reconstruction-era political gains, and where senators such as Carl Schurz from Missouri, and the ruthless former slave trader and Ku Klux Klan leader Nathan Bedford Forrest, worked to eliminate the rights of Black Americans in the name of political “reform.” Join us for a special online-only program as Bordewich shares the  stunning history of the first national anti-terrorist campaign waged on American soil, as Ulysses S. Grant wielded the power of the federal government to dismantle the KKK. It is also a bracing reminder of the bloody, Reconstruction-era roots of current battles to protect the ballot box and to undercut resurgent white supremacist ideologies. A Humanities Member-led Forum program. Forums at the Club are organized and run by volunteer programmers who are members of The Commonwealth Club, and they cover a diverse range of topics. Learn more about our Forums. This program is part of our Good Lit series, underwritten by the Bernard Osher Foundation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Many Americans would agree with Henry Ford's famous statement that “History is bunk.” Do the events of a century and a half ago really have any relevance to our daily lives in the twenty-first century? Fergus Bordewich, in his new book Klan War: Ulysses S. Grant and the Battle to Save Reconstruction, argues that America's critical missed turning point in the 1860s and ‘70s continues to haunt the present. In the wake of the Confederacy's defeat in the Civil War in 1865, federal forces attempted to rebuild the post-slavery South as an industrial, biracial democracy. The policy of this Reconstruction was made in Washington by a Congress dominated by Radical Republicans — members of the Republican Party who were committed to a thoroughgoing transformation of the South. Former Union general Ulysses S. Grant, elected as president on the Republican ticket in 1868, was equally committed to this revolutionary transformation. But Reconstruction increasingly was thwarted by the Ku Klux Klan – a secret paramilitary group formed in late 1865 in Pulaski, Tennessee – which morphed into what Bordewich calls “the first organized terror movement in American history.” The Klan used threats, abuse, arson, rape, torture, and lynching to terrorize African Americans into servility and to destroy the Republican Party in the South. In this podcast discussion, Bordewich discusses how Grant pushed Congress to grant him the powers he needed to combat the Klan, and how he used these powers to shatter the “Invisible Empire.” But Grant's efforts were largely undone by members of his own party who formed the so-called Liberal Republican faction, largely because they distrusted strong central government. In the aftermath of Grant's presidency, the Klan faded away because Democratic-controlled legislatures in the South increasingly were able to enforce white supremacy on the region through legal means. One of the lessons from this episode of history, in Bordewich's view, is “the danger of politically crippling what is necessary for government to do to sustain what's best in society and to sustain the rights and protections of Americans.”

Between 1865 and 1872, the first iteration of the Ku Klux Klan conducted a reign of terror across the former Confederate States, harassing, intimidating, and murdering freedpeople and their white allies. As violence spread with impunity across the South, Congress, at President Ulysses S. Grant's urging, passed three Enforcement Acts, which radically expanded the federal government's ability to protect individuals from violence when their state governments could or would not. Lawfare Associate Editor for Communications Anna Hickey sat down with Fergus Bordewich, author of “Klan War: Ulysses S. Grant and the Battle to Save Reconstruction,” to discuss how the Grant administration fought the first domestic terrorist organization the federal government had ever faced. They also talked about the political terrorism conducted by the Klan in that era and what we can learn from that violent period of American history.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/lawfare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Ku Klux Klan, which historian Fergus Bordewich defines as “the first organized terrorist movement in American history,” rose from the ashes of the Civil War. To repel the virulent tidal wave of violence, President Ulysses S. Grant waged a two-term battle against both armed Southern enemies of Reconstruction and Northern politicians seduced by visions of postwar conciliation, testing the limits of the federal government in determining the extent of states' rights.Fergus Bordewich's new book is "Klan War."

Fergus M. Bordewich is a former journalist and now a longtime historian. His books include THE FIRST CONGRESS: How James Madison, George Washington, and a Group of Extraordinary Men Invented the Government, BOUND FOR CANAAN: The Story of the Underground Railroad, KILLING THE WHITE MAN'S INDIAN: Reinventing Native Americans at the End of the Twentieth Century. Today we wrap up with the second of our two-part conversation about his latest book, KLAN WAR: Ulysses S. Grant and the Battle to Save Reconstruction which is published by Knopf.   

Fergus M. Bordewich is a former journalist and now a longtime historian. His books include THE FIRST CONGRESS: How James Madison, George Washington, and a Group of Extraordinary Men Invented the Government, BOUND FOR CANAAN: The Story of the Underground Railroad, KILLING THE WHITE MAN'S INDIAN: Reinventing Native Americans at the End of the Twentieth Century. Today we begin the first of our two-part conversation about his latest book, KLAN WAR: Ulysses S. Grant and the Battle to Save Reconstruction which is published by Knopf.   

Josh and David open with a discussion of a new show sponsor, Wind Creek Entertainment, and the killing of Stephen Perkins by Decatur Police. D.C. redistricting expert Kimball Brace zooms in to talk about where the redistricting fight is on a national level and the fate of the Voting Rights Act. Author Fergus Bordewich zooms in to discuss his new book, "Klan Wars." And they wrap with this week's Rightwing Nut of the Week. Send us a question: We take a bit of time each week to answer questions from our audience about Alabama politics — or Alabama in general. If you have a question about a politician, a policy, or a trend — really anything — you can shoot us an email at apwproducer@gmail.com or with this form. You can also send it to us on Facebook and Twitter. Or by emailing us a voice recording to our email with your question, and we may play it on air. Either way, make sure you include your name (first name is fine) and the city or county where you live. About APW: APW is a weekly Alabama political podcast hosted by Josh Moon and David Person, two longtime Alabama political journalists. More information is available on our website. Listen anywhere you get your podcasts. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook. Music credits: Music courtesy of Mr. Smith via the Free Music Archive. Visit Mr. Smith's page here.  

The Underground Railroad helped up to 100,000 enslaved people to freedom. It was America's first civil rights movement, operated by Black and white people united in their abhorrence of slavery. But how was it established? Who were its passengers, and the people risking everything assist them? And what part did it play in America's descent into civil war? This is a Short History of the Underground Railroad. Written by Kate Simants. Special thanks to historian Fergus Bordewich, author of Bound for Canaan; and to public historian and lecturer Christopher Miller of the National Underground Railroad Freedom Centre in Cincinnati, Ohio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Abraham Lincoln gets most of the attention given for political and governmental leadership during the American Civil War and deservedly so. The role of Congress during the war, however, is a compelling story in its own right. Historian Fergus Bordewich has written a book, “Congress At War”, that details the efforts of the House and Senate that worked both in concert and at odds with President Lincoln. He discusses this terrific literary effort on this week's “Leaders and Legends” podcast. Sponsors• Veteran Strategies• Girl Scouts of Central Indiana• MacAllister Machinery• Garmong Construction• Crowne Plaza Downtown Indianapolis Historic Union StationAbout Veteran Strategies‘Leaders and Legends' is brought to you by Veteran Strategies—your local veteran business enterprise specializing in media relations, crisis communications, public outreach, and digital photography. Learn more at www.veteranstrategies.com.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The popular conception of the Civil War is that Abraham Lincoln single-handedly led the Union to victory. But in addition to the Great Emancipator, we can also thank four influential members of Congress–Thaddeus Stevens, Pitt Fessenden, Ben Wade, and the proslavery Clement Vallandigham. They show us how a newly empowered Republican party shaped one of the most dynamic and consequential periods in American history. Today’s guest is Fergus Bordewich, author of “Congress of War.” He shows that from reinventing the nation’s financial system to pushing President Lincoln to emancipate the slaves to the planning for Reconstruction, Congress undertook drastic measures to defeat the Confederacy, in the process laying the foundation for a strong central government that came fully into being in the twentieth century.

Fergus Bordewich on Congress at War For more information go to: WWW.CWRTChiago.org "Congress at War" tells the story of how the oft-maligned U.S. Congress helped win the Civil War a new perspective that puts the House and Senate, rather than President Lincoln, at the center of the conflict. This perspective on the Civil War overturns the popular conception that Abraham Lincoln single-handedly led the Union to victory and gives us a vivid account of the essential role Congress played in winning the war. Building a riveting narrative around four influential members of Congress Thaddeus Stevens, Pitt Fessenden, Ben Wade, and the pro-slavery Clement Vallandigham Fergus Bordewich shows us how a newly empowered Republican party shaped one of the most dynamic and consequential periods in American history. From reinventing the nation s financial system to pushing President Lincoln to emancipate the slaves to the planning for Reconstruction, Congress undertook drastic measures to defeat the Confederacy, in the process laying the foundation for a strong central government that came fully into being in the twentieth century. FERGUS M. BORDEWICH is the author of eight non-fiction books, including CONGRESS AT WAR: How Republican Reformers Fought The Civil War, Defied Lincoln, Ended Slavery, And Remade America, (Alfred A. Knopf, 2020); AMERICA'S GREAT DEBATE: Henry Clay, Stephen A. Douglas, and the Compromise that Preserved the Union (Simon & Schuster, 2012. Winner of the 2012 Los Angeles Times History Prize); and BOUND FOR CANAAN: The Underground Railroad and the War for the Soul of America (Amistad/HarperCollins, 2005). He lives in San Francisco, CA with his wife, Jean Parvin Bordewich.

While Abraham Lincoln tends to get most of the credit for winning the Civil War, historian Fergus Bordewich reminds us not to forget about the role Congress played in the Union’s victory. In his new book, “Congress at War,” Bordewich follows four influential members of Congress as they navigate one of the most dynamic and consequential times in American history. Bordewich joins Forum to discuss the challenge of governing a divided nation and how the 36th United States Congress helped hold the union together.

SPEAKERS Fergus Bordewich Author, Congress at War: How Republican Reformers Fought the Civil War, Defied Lincoln, Ended Slavery, and Remade America In Conversation With George Hammond Author, Conversations With Socrates In response to the Coronavirus COVID-19 outbreak, this program took place and was recorded live via video conference, for an online audience only, and was live-streamed from The Commonwealth Club of California in San Francisco on July 22nd, 2020.

Join us for a virtual conversation with Fergus Bordewich, whose new account of the Civil War does not focus on President Lincoln's role, but instead shows how four Republican congressional leaders often led the way, pushing Lincoln to do more and even defying him at times. Thaddeus Stevens, Pitt Fessenden, Ben Wade, and the pro-slavery Clement Vallandigham, all members of the newly empowered Republican party, passed the drastic measures to defeat the Confederacy, planned Reconstruction, created the forerunner of the IRS, laid the foundation for the Federal Reserve system, passed the Pacific Railway Act to link the heartland with California, created the Land Grant Colleges Act—which laid the groundwork for public state university systems nationwide—demanded emancipation of the slaves before Lincoln was ready to consider it, and in the process laid the foundation for a strong central government. Brimming with drama and outsized characters, Congress at War is a timely reconsideration of the conflicts of power between the White House and Congress that will change the way we understand both the Civil War and our own future. MLF ORGANIZER George Hammond NOTES MLF: Humanities Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Examining The History Of The Ku Klux Klan. Democratic Perspective welcomes back Fergus Bordewich, historian and author of numerous books, to discuss the three stages of the KKK. He says the original Klan began from a rather inauspicious start with … Continue reading →

Mayor Pratt speaks with Dr. Edna Greene Medford, professor of history at Howard University, Fergus Bordewich, author of Washington: The Making of the American Capital, and activist Rev. Mark Thomspon, the host of the podcast Make It Plain. They discuss the impact that the history of slavery, Jim Crow, and racism in the United States and Washington D.C. have on the unrest we're experiencing in 2020.

Constitution and the First Amendment. Out of respect for social distancing, Democratic Perspective rebroadcasts some of our best shows of seven years of Democratic Perspective. We begin with Fergus Bordewich discussing the Founders and the Constitutional Convention.

What Were The Founders Thinking? Democratic Perspective welcomes constitutional scholar and author Fergus Bordewich. To understand how we got to where we are, he says it’s important to understand the historical context of the constitutional convention and the First Congress. … Continue reading →

Fergus M. Bordewich has been an independent historian and writer since the early 1970s. As a journalist he traveled extensively in Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and Africa writing on a variety of topics. He also served for brief periods as an editor and writer for the Tehran Journal in Iran in 1972-1973, a press officer for the United Nations in 1980-1982, and an advisor to the New China News Agency in Beijing in 1982-1983. In this episode he discusses his book "The First Congress: How James Madison, George Washington, and a Group of Extraordinary Men Invented the Government." He spoke at a Ford Evening Book Talk at the Washington Library on June 9, 2016.

Fergus M. Bordewich has been an independent historian and writer since the early 1970s. As a journalist he traveled extensively in Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and Africa writing on a variety of topics. He also served for brief periods as an editor and writer for the Tehran Journal in Iran in 1972-1973, a press officer for the United Nations in 1980-1982, and an advisor to the New China News Agency in Beijing in 1982-1983. In this episode he discusses his book "The First Congress: How James Madison, George Washington, and a Group of Extraordinary Men Invented the Government." He spoke at a Ford Evening Book Talk at the Washington Library on June 9, 2016. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mountvernon/message

The First Congress tells the dramatic story of the two remarkable years when George Washington, James Madison, and their dedicated colleagues struggled to successfully create our government, an achievement that has lasted to the present day. The Constitution was a broad set of principles. It was left to the members of the First Congress and President George Washington to create the machinery that would make the government work. Fortunately, James Madison, John Adams, Alexander Hamilton, and others less well known today, rose to the occasion. During two years of often fierce political struggle, they passed the first ten amendments to the Constitution; they resolved bitter regional rivalries to choose the site of the new national capital; they set in place the procedure for admitting new states to the union; and much more. But the First Congress also confronted some issues that remain to this day: the conflict between states’ rights and the powers of national government; the proper balance between legislative and executive power; the respective roles of the federal and state judiciaries; and funding the central government. Other issues, such as slavery, would fester for decades before being resolved. Fergus M. Bordewich is the author of several books, among them “Washington: The Making of the American Capital” and “Bound for Canaan,” a national history of the Underground Railroad. His articles have appeared in many magazines and newspapers. He lives in San Francisco.

April 15, 2016 - It’s History in Five Friday, presented by Simon & Schuster. Our guest is Fergus Bordewich , and his book is, The First Congress: How James Madison, George Washington, and a Group of Extraordinary Men Invented the Government. It’s the monumental story of the most productive Congress in US history, in 1789–1791, which we first explored with Fergus in our recent interview, which you can still find at HistoryAuthor.com, iTunes, iHeartRadio, or wherever you're listening. Mr. Fergus Bordewich is the author of six previous books including, America’s Great Debate — Henry Clay, Stephen A. Douglas, and The Compromise that Preserved the Union, Washington: The Making of the American Capital, and Bound for Canaan: The Underground Railroad and the War for the Soul of America. You learn more about these and his other titles at FergusBordewich.com. Simon & Schuster’s History in Five Friday. It’s the perfect way to kick off your modern weekend…with people from the past.

April 4, 2016 - Today, our time machine is whisking us back to the very earliest days of America's republic. Our guest is Fergus Bordewich , and his book is, The First Congress: How James Madison, George Washington, and a Group of Extraordinary Men Invented the Government. It's the untold story of the most productive Congress in US history, in 1789–1791. Mr. Fergus Bordewich is the author of six previous books including, America's Great Debate -- Henry Clay, Stephen A. Douglas, and The Compromise that Preserved the Union, Washington: The Making of the American Capital, and Bound for Canaan: The Underground Railroad and the War for the Soul of America. You learn more about these and his other titles at FergusBordewich.com.          

Historian and author Fergus Bordewich joins The Steve Fast Show to talk about the work of the first Federal Congress. Bordewich says that much of the American political system depended on the work of legislators who were unsure if the "Great Experiment" of U.S. democracy would even work.

The little known story of perhaps the most productive Congress in US history, the First Federal Congress of 1789–1791. The First Congress was the most important in US history, says prizewinning author and historian Fergus Bordewich, because it established how our government would actually function. Had it failed—as many at the time feared it would—it’s possible that the United States as we know it would not exist today. - Amazon The Avid Reader Show is sponsored and produced by Wellington Square Bookshop in Chester County, PA. The Show airs Mondays at 5 PM EST on WCHE AM 1520. Please visit our website at www.wellingtonsquarebooks.com

March 21, 2016 - Today, we time-travel back to the times after the times that tried men's souls. The date is October 19, 1781, and a combined French and rebel force defeats the Redcoats at the Battle of Yorktown, Virginia. But contrary to two centuries of grade school and academic histories, the war for independence didn't end with the surrender of General Cornwallis's sword. The fighting dragged on for men like George Washington, Horatio Nelson, Lafayette, and Hyder Ali. This was a world war, with fighting from the Caribbean to the Mediterranean, and the Arctic to the coast of Sri Lanka. We learn about the men who kept fighting in Don Glickstein's debut book, After Yorktown: The Final Struggle for American Independence.  We also mentioned Fergus Bordewich's book, The First Congress: How James Madison, George Washington, and a Group of Extraordinary Men Invented the Government.  

Career politicians, backroom deals, and Congressional contention are not exclusive to today’s political landscape. As author and historian Fergus M. Bordewich would be quick to point out, “the great American tradition of political trench warfare” was just as prevalent early … Continue reading →

Fergus Bordewich appears at the 2012 Library of Congress National Book Festival. For captions, transcript, and more information visit http://www.loc.gov/today/cyberlc/feature_wdesc.php?rec=5659.

Join Michael in his conversation with Fergus Bordewich about his new book, Klan War: Ulysses S. Grant and the Battle to Save Reconstruction, which tells the story how President Grant, his attorney general, Amos Akerman, and Major Lewis Merrill led the successful, multi-year assault on the Ku Klux Klan.Fergus is one of the leading independent historians writing on 18th and 19th America. He is the author of eight previous award-winning non-fiction books including The First Congress: How James Madison, George Washington and a Group of Extraordinary Men Invented the Government which won the D.B. Hardeman Prize in American History.Purchase Klan War here.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy