VMHC Lectures

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Dolley Madison: A Documentary Apr 26, 2010

Show notes

On February 4, 2010, Muffie Meyer delivered a lecture on the PBS documentary Dolley Madison. n March, the "American Experience" history series on PBS will broadcast a new documentary on the life of Dolley Madison. Today’s event offers a preview of part of the documentary, along with commentary about the making of the film by the producer and director, Muffie Meyer. This event is jointly sponsored by the Virginia Historical Society and James Madison's Montpelier. (Introduction by Paul A. Levengood)

On Hallowed Ground: The Story of Arlington National Cemetery Apr 26, 2010

Show notes

On February 18, 2010, Robert Poole delivered a lecture on his book "On Hallowed Ground: The Story of Arlington National Cemetery." In his new book, Robert Poole traces the founding of Arlington Cemetery on what had been the family plantation of Robert E. Lee's wife. Arlington first became a U.S. Army headquarters and then a cemetery for indigent Civil War soldiers before Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton made it the new national cemetery. Arlington's special significance grew after the war, as the government gathered soldiers' remains hastily buried on nearby battlefields and reinterred them at Arlington, where they received the honors of a grateful nation. The rituals and reverence associated with Arlington evolved over the next hundred years, paid through the blood of those who fought in the Spanish-American War, World Wars I and II, the Korean War, the Cold War, Vietnam, Desert Storm, Iraq, and Afghanistan. (Introduction by Paul A. Levengood)

Flight from Monticello: Thomas Jefferson at War Apr 26, 2010

Show notes

On March 4, 2010, Michael Kranish delivered a lecture on his book "Flight from Monticello: Thomas Jefferson at War." In his new book, Michael Kranish recounts Thomas Jefferson's difficult tenure as Virginia's governor during the Revolution. The story begins with the background of struggle against British rule, then the tumultuous outbreak of fighting and Jefferson's role in the Continental Congress, followed by his rise to the governorship. Influenced by Jefferson, Virginia provided for a weak chief executive, and the state was ill-prepared for invasion. When war came to the Old Dominion, the legislature fled the capital, and Jefferson narrowly eluded capture twice. Kranish describes his many stumbles as he struggled to respond to the crisis. "Jefferson's record was both remarkable and unsatisfactory, filled with contradictions," writes Kranish. As a revolutionary leader who felt he was unqualified to conduct a war, Jefferson never resolved those contradictions. But, as Kranish shows, he did learn lessons from the hard tutelage of war. This lecture is cosponsored with the Society of Colonial Wars in Virginia. (Introduction by Paul A. Levengood)

Louis Brandeis: An American Legal Giant Apr 26, 2010

Show notes

On March 25, 2010, Melvin Urofsky delivered a lecture on his book "Louis Brandeis: An American Legal Giant." Louis Brandeis was one of the most important and distinguished justices to sit on the United States Supreme Court. In his latest book, Melvin Urofsky presents not only Brandeis the reformer, lawyer, and jurist, but also Brandeis the man, in all of his complexity, passion, and wit. Drawing on family papers and materials never before available, Urofsky gives us the remarkable story of Brandeis's influence on American society and jurisprudence, and the electrifying story of his time. Dr. Urofsky is a former professor of history at Virginia Commonwealth University. (Introduction by Nelson D. Lankford)

Distorted Mirrors: Americans and Their Relations with Russia and China in the Twentieth Century Apr 26, 2010

Show notes

On April 1, 2010, Eugene P. Trani delivered a lecture on his book "Distorted Mirrors: Americans and Their Relations with Russia and China in the Twentieth Century." During the last century, United States relations with Russia and China went through many tumultuous changes. In a new appraisal, Eugene Trani shows where American images of Russia and China originated, how they evolved, and how they have often helped sustain foreign policies that were generally negative toward Russia and more positive toward China. Trani's wide-ranging new book draws on memoirs, archives, and interviews to show how influential individuals shaped perceptions and policies based on what they saw or thought they saw in those two countries. Dr. Trani is president emeritus of Virginia Commonwealth University.(Introduction by Nelson D. Lankford)

Hidden Treasures: A Short History of the Mary Custis Lee Trunks Apr 26, 2010

Show notes

On April 22, 2010, Lee Shepard delivered a Banner Lecture entitled "Hidden Treasures: A Short History of the Mary Custis Lee Trunks." In 2002, two wooden trunks were found at Burke and Herbert Bank and Trust Company in Alexandria, Va. The trunks contained letters, legal papers, journals, travel souvenirs, financial records, and smaller artifacts that were collected by Mary Custis Lee, the eldest daughter of General Robert E. Lee. The collection of manuscripts and artifacts, now at the Virginia Historical Society, have been added to what is currently the largest holding of Lee family papers in any single repository. Lee Shepard will discuss and show images of items found in the trunks—including an 1810 letter from George Washington Parke Custis, the builder of Arlington House; an 1863 order from Robert E. Lee, in his own hand, announcing the death of General Stonewall Jackson; and an 1872 letter from former Arlington House slave Selina Gray to Mary Randolph Custis Lee. He will also reveal new information that we have learned not only about Robert E. Lee but also about his very interesting daughter Mary. Lee Shepard is vice president for collections at the VHS.(Introduction by Paul A. Levengood)

Robert E. Lee: Lessons in Leadership Apr 26, 2010

Show notes

On January 28, 2010, Noah Andre Trudeau delivered a lecture on his book Robert E. Lee. Almost 150 years after the fact, Robert E. Lee remains a towering figure of the Civil War era, an acclaimed strategist and an enigmatic personality. In his new book, the latest in the critically received Great Generals Series, prolific author Noah Andre Trudeau presents an insightful narrative about the Confederacy's preeminent military leader. (Introduction by Paul A. Levengood)

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