Historian Jonathan W. White will explore the relationship between Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass in a lecture at the Virginia Museum of History & Culture on Dec. 18 at noon.

Jonathan W. White

 

White, a professor of American Studies at Christopher Newport University, will discuss his latest book, “Measuring the Man: The Writings of Frederick Douglass on Abraham Lincoln.” The lecture examines how Douglass evolved from one of Lincoln’s harshest critics to one of his strongest supporters in the fight to end slavery and advance racial equality. White will draw on previously undiscovered letters and speeches that have not been seen in 160 years. 

“Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln both had a vision that the United States should live up to its founding ideal of human equality, but they had different strategies for achieving that goal,” the lecture description states. 

White is the author or editor of 20 books and more than 100 articles, essays and reviews on Abraham Lincoln, the Civil War, slavery and emancipation, and the U.S. Constitution. His other works include “A House Built by Slaves: African American Visitors to the Lincoln White House,” “Emancipation, the Union Army, and the Reelection of Abraham Lincoln” and “Midnight in America: Darkness, Sleep, and Dreams during the Civil War.” 

Tickets are required for in-person attendance and include admission to VMHC galleries. The lecture will also be streamed live on YouTube and Facebook.