Eric Foner: Abraham Lincoln and American Slavery

Conversations host Harry Kreisler welcomes Pulitzer Prize winning historian Eric Foner for a discussion of his book, "The Fiery Trial." The conversation focuses on Lincoln's relationship to slavery over the course of his career. As Lincoln moved from local, to state and then national politics, he grew in stature and his understanding of the complexity of the issue matured. The discussion focuses on the key dimensions of his intellectual and political growth including Lincoln's background, his command of language in his speeches and writings, and his remarkable skills as a political leader. The discussion concludes with a comparison of Lincoln and President Obama and the political situations they confronted.