Was Lincoln More Radical Than We Remember?

At the start of his presidency in 1861, Abraham Lincoln supported a constitutional amendment that would have kept the federal government from banning slavery in states where it already existed. In just a few short years, he helped secure passage of the 13th Amendment, which ended slavery throughout the United States and all its territories.

Today’s guest is Senior Editor Damon Root, whose new book Emancipation War delves into one of the most fascinating chapters of American history. Root and host Nick Gillespie also discuss the Reconstruction period after the Civil War, Root’s previous book on Frederick Douglass, and how the Supreme Court is likely to rule in Trump v. Barbara, the birthright citizenship case that will be decided in the next few weeks.

Root writes a twice-weekly newsletter for Reason on legal issues, called Injustice System. Sign up for it here.

Previous appearances:
“Damon Root: Why Frederick Douglass Loved the Constitution (and You Should Too),” December 8, 2020
“Willett, Bolick, Sykes: Three Great Picks to Replace Anthony Kennedy,” June 27, 2018
“The Libertarianism of Frederick Douglass,” February 8, 2018
“Obamacare at the Supreme Court: Damon Root on King v. Burwell,” March 3, 2015
“Battle for the Supreme Court: Judicial Activism vs. Restraint,” November 5, 2014
“3 Supreme Court Decisions to Watch,” January 24, 2012

0:00–Lincoln wanted to preserve slavery in 1861
8:38–The Northwest Ordinance and precedents for banning slavery
11:27–Frederick Douglas and slavery in the U.S. Constitution
14:07–Salmon Chase
18:40–Lincoln’s generals who emancipated slaves
23:37–How Lincoln evolved on slavery
29:47–The Civil Rights Act of 1866
37:13–The 13th Amendment, citizenship, and national identity
39:30–Reconstruction
45:00–The Supreme Court
49:57–Birthright citizenship