Profiles in Liberty with Caleb Franz

Caleb Franz speaks about his new book "The Conductor: The Story of Rev. John Rankin, Abolitionism's Essential Founding Father" in Indianapolis to AFF's event at the James Whitcomb Riley House.

Buy the book here: https://amzn.to/415fKbl

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Caleb Franz, the author of "The Conductor: The Story of Rev. John Rankin, Abolitionism's Essential Founding Father," joins me to share his incredible story and how it applies to our own day. 

The Conductor: The Story of Rev. John Rankin, Abolitionism's Essential Founding Father - https://amzn.to/415fKbl

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When someone mentions the furnishers of the American Revolution, they are usually referring to Samuel Adams or Paul Revere. These men capitalized on the abuse of authority perpetrated by the British to popularize rebellion. However, the most effective individual to furnish the revolution is perhaps the most forgotten.

Mercy Otis Warren used entertainment and satire to provide levity in people's lives while feeding them a more subtle message about liberty and tyranny. This helped grow revolutionary sentiment, and even after the war, it allowed her to popularize liberty in the new republic. In this Season 2 finale, hear how Mercy Otis Warren risked life, liberty, sacred honor, and her deepest friendships in pursuit of liberty.

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Anne Hutchinson's story is perhaps one of the most quintessentially American tales of virtue, sacrifice, civil disobedience, and resistance. She stood against oppression on two separate continents and on both occasions she was forced to flee because she wouldn't back down. Anne laid the foundation for the freedom of speech, the right to assembly, and the right to worship as one deems appropriate. Few in American history had given so much and gotten so little in return. Yet, her story is largely forgotten throughout history.

This episode of Profiles in Liberty attempts to elevate her to her proper historical prominence. She was a martyr of freedom and America's first true foremother.

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Behind every great man, there is an equally great woman. At least, so it is said. No matter how accurate it is, this was certainly the case with John and Abigail Adams. Abigail's constant love, loyalty, friendship, and companionship allowed John to push the nation toward independence at a time when nobody would stand with him. Abigail's advice would oftentimes go on to shape the history of this nation. Thus, she served as the backbone in more than just the life of John Adams. Abigail was, in many ways, the backbone of the infant American nation.

Just as she continued to advocate for greater equality of the races and sexes to her husband, she served as the leading voice for the liberation of all people in a time when women had hardly a voice in the first place. For these reasons and more, she comfortably sits in history as THE Founding Mother.

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Slavery may have been eliminated everywhere in the United States until 1865, but America started its journey toward abolition in Massachusetts in 1781. As much as they disdained the institution of slavery, it wasn't the likes of Thomas Jefferson, Samuel Adams, or Patrick Henry that kicked off that journey, but rather a slave woman by the name of Mum Bett.

The story of Mum Bett is a powerful one that highlights a woman who knew in her heart that she had a right to be free. What's especially fascinating about this story, however, is how it showcases that the original intent of the idea of America was to eventually eliminate, not sustain, the evil institution of slavery.

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Harriet Tubman is historically famous for her daring rescue missions between the north and the south, guiding her brethren to freedom. Yet, this barely scratches the surface of her powerful conviction and incredible sacrifices.

In this episode, discover how Harriet Tubman's faith, will, and principles came together to drive one of the most successful rescue missions in American history.

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We are all familiar with Paul Revere and his historic midnight ride on the eve of the American Revolution. What is less known, however, is that he wasn't alone in this endeavor. In fact, one of the men who rode with him, Wentworth Cheswell, was a black man who helped secure the idea of America as much as any other Founding Father.

Not only did Cheswell ride with Revere, but he was also by all accounts an American original. He was the first black officeholder in American history, a well-respected member of his community, the first archeologist of New Hampshire, and his town's historian, to name a few accomplishments. His story has largely been forgotten, but it's time for that to change.

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The Underground Railroad was one of the most impressive and successful acts of civil disobedience in American history. While no one person can technically claim to have "founded" this movement, William Still is almost solely responsible for publicizing the stories of those who escaped slavery using that network.

As the liberty movement grows today, William Still provides many valuable lessons that we can learn from and apply in the conflicts we are currently involved in. Still understood that good storytelling is fundamental to the success of any worthwhile movement.

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Frederick Douglass is world-renowned for his escape from and advocacy against slavery in the mid-1800s. His personal journey is a story that embodies what it truly means to be an American. It can serve as an inspiration to all of us to do what is right.

Yet, his ideological journey is perhaps even more fascinating. Once jaded by the American system that had allowed him to suffer in chains, Douglass realized only after he took his freedom for himself that slavery is a system that runs counter to the blessings of the liberty promised in the U.S. Constitution. Nobody can truly understand the true purpose of the Constitution under they understand the wisdom of Frederick Douglass.

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