Leadership and Legacy: Conversations at the George Washington Presidential Library

Dr. Lydia Brandt is Assistant Professor of Art History at the University of South Carolina, where she teaches the history of American art and architecture as well as methods of historic preservation. She was a member of the inaugural class of fellows at the Washington Library; the work she did during that time led to the publication of her first book, "First in the Homes of His Countrymen: George Washington's Mount Vernon in the American Imagination," in 2016. She discusses how replicas and imitations of Washington's estate have risen in popularity throughout history and how the home became and American Icon. Dr. Brandt spoke at a Ford Evening Book Talk on December 7, 2016.

Dr Edward Gray is Professor of History at Florida State University where he teaches a range of courses in US history Native American history and the history of the Pacific in the age of Captain James Cook He was named a Top Young Historian by History News Network and was a Fulbright Distinguished Lecturer in Japan in 2014 In this episode he discusses his book Tom Paines Iron Bridge Building a United States

Dr Alan Taylor is the Thomas Jefferson Foundation Chair and Professor of History at the University of Virginia He has written numerous books on colonial North America the American Revolution and the early Republic Dr Taylor has twice been awarded the Pulitzer Prize in History most recently for The Internal Enemy Slavery and War in Virginia 17721832 which was also a finalist for the National Book Award and the George Washington Prize In this episode he discusses his book American Revolutions A Continental History 17501804

Louisa Thomas is a graduate of Harvard University and former fellow at the New America Foundation think tank She is also a former contributor to the sports and pop culture blog Grantland and contributing editor at Newsweek In this episode Ms Thomas discusses her second book Louisa The Extraordinary Life of Mrs Adams Ms Thomas spoke at the second of three Michelle Smith Lectures on April 20 2017

Dr Michael Klarman is the Kirkland and Ellis Professor at Harvard Law School and received his PhD in legal history from the University of Oxford where he was a Marshall Scholar Dr Klarman is the author of numerous books on constitutional law and history In this episode he discusses his book The Framers Coup Building a United States which was one of seven finalists for the 2017 George Washington Prize Dr Klarman spoke at a Ford Evening Book Talk on April 11 2017

George Goodwin is Honorary Author in Residence at Benjamin Franklin House in London the worlds only remaining Franklin home He is also a Fellow at the Royal Historical Society the Chartered Institute of Marketing and the Royal Society of Arts In this episode he discusses his book Benjamin Franklin in London The British Life of Americas Founding Father Mr Goodwin spoke at the 2017 Michelle Smith Lecture series on March 30 2017

Dr Erica Armstrong Dunbar is the Blue and Gold Distinguished Professor of Black American Studies at the University of Delaware where her teaching focuses on slavery racial injustice and gender equality In 2011 she was named the Inaugural Director of the Program in African American History at the Library and her book A Fragile Freedom African American Women and Emancipation in the Antebellum City was the first to chronicle the lives of African American women in the urban north during the early republic In this episode she discusses her newest book Never Caught The Washingtons Relentless Pursuit of their Runaway Slave Ona Judge

Mr John Steele Gordon is an independent author and historian who specializes in business and financial history He has written numerous books on Americas financial history including The Scarlet Woman of Wall Street A History of Wall Street in the 1860s and Hamiltons Blessing The Extraordinary Life and Times of our National Debt In this episode he discusses his latest work Washingtons Monument And the Fascinating History of the Obelisk Mr Gordon spoke at a Ford Evening Book Talk at Mount Vernon on March 1 2017

Dr Zara Anishanslin is Assistant Professor of History and Art History at the University of Delaware who specializes in Early American and Atlantic world history with a focus on eighteenth century material culture She was the Patrick Henry Postdoctoral Fellow in the history department at Johns Hopkins University and a Mellon Fellow at CUNYs Graduate Center In this episode she discusses her first book Portrait of a Woman in Silk Hidden Histories of the British Atlantic World

John Avlon is is EditorinChief and Managing Director of the Daily Beast and is a CNN political analyst His book Wingnuts How the Lunatic Fringe is Hijacking America was praised by President Bill Clinton as providing a clear and comprehensive review of the forces on the outer edges of the political spectrum that shape and distort our political debate Mr Avlon discussed his newest book Washingtons Farewell The Founding Fathers Warning to Future Generations at a Ford Evening Book Talk on February 1 2017