Presidential Legacies: The Emancipation Debate – Dr. Christian McWhirter, Lincoln Museum

Who freed the slaves? For generations, Abraham Lincoln has been heralded as the “Great Emancipator.” But for just as long, debates have raged over how exactly the institution of slavery ended in America and who delivered the killing blow. Christian McWhirter, Ph.D., Lincoln Historian at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum and the author of Battle Hymns: The Power and Popularity of Music in the Civil War, will examine competing points of view on emancipation and consider Lincoln’s actions in the broader context of the American Civil War and the anti-slavery movement. This program is part of the Mirowitz Center’s continuing series, “Presidential Legacies.” To view this Zoom recording click here.