In this Toward Inclusive Excellence spring semester episode, we’re joined by Pulitzer Prize-winning author and historian David Hackett Fischer to discuss his latest title, African Founders: How Enslaved People Expanded American Ideals. TIE editor-in-chief Alexia Hudson-Ward chats with David on the writing process of this monumental text, which demonstrates how African influences in early America created a new, distinct American culture. David walks through his extensive travel to regions in America and Africa, in addition to his rigorous archival research of narratives by enslaved people collected in the 18th and 19th centuries. Throughout the conversation, David underscores the importance of diversity in American culture, highlighting the need to celebrate our differences and listen to—and learn from—our forebearers. David and Alexia also explore key takeaways from the book, the unique qualities of early American regions, and the significance of including African-American abolitionist Absalom Jones on the book cover.

Episode theme music: Black is the Night by Jeris (c) copyright 2014 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial (3.0) license. Ft: DJ Vadim (djvadim), NiGiD