David Blight on Frederick Douglass

Few figures in American history have received more attention than Frederick Douglass, and for good reason, given his formidable presence and accomplishments. Now, a new, epic biography from Yale historian David Blight reveals the abolitionist and statesman in all his legendary and prosaic fullness. Blight’s Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom is the first major biography of Douglass in three decades, and has already garnered wide critical acclaim and a Pulitzer Prize. Drawing on new information from a private collection, and packed with insights about the personal life of the public figure, Blight, a renowned scholar of the Civil War, illuminates Douglass’s transformation, post-Civil War, from political outsider to insider. This annual lecture recognizes the significant contributions to the Chicago Humanities Festival made by its founder and chairman emeritus Richard J. Franke. This program was recorded on October 26, 2019. See upcoming CHF events: https://chicagohumanities.org Support CHF with a donation: supportchf.org Follow CHF on Twitter:   / chihumanities   Like CHF on Facebook:   / chicagohumanities   Help us caption & translate this video! https://amara.org/v/CPELg/