Speakers Bureau Speaker
Brooks D. Simpson, Ph.D., Tempe
Brooks D. Simpson is ASU Foundation Professor of History at Arizona State University. He studies American political and military history, specializing in the period of the Civil War and Reconstruction and the history of the American presidency. He is the author of several books, including Ulysses S. Grant: Triumph over Adversity (2000), The Reconstruction Presidents (2009), and America’s Civil War (1996).
Emancipation and the Destruction of Slavery, 1861-1865
The American Civil War resulted in the destruction of slavery in the United States, yet it is not always evident how this came about. People argue over who - or what - freed the slaves, the impact of the Emancipation Proclamation in setting slavery upon the road to ultimate extinction, and how the war itself contributed to the destruction of slavery. Perhaps it may be better to ask a simple question: how did freedom come? There were many paths to emancipation, and many reasons why the war resulted in the erosion of slavery and its ultimate demise, all of which are highlighted in this presentation.
Civil Liberties in Time of War
In times of war Americans have to wrestle with critical questions about how to balance waging war with protecting civil liberties, and how to draw the line between legitimate dissent and disloyalty. At times critics have wondered whether the very wars Americans wage to protect and promote freedom and democracy result in measures that compromise both those principles in practice. These challenges are not new: they have recurred throughout American history. This presentation explores those issues through an examination of historical examples drawn from American history.
Our Civil War: Reflections at the Sesquicentennial
Between 2011 and 2015 Americans will commemorate the sesquicentennial of the American Civil War. It is thus timely for us to reflect on what the war tells us about ourselves as a people, what lessons we might derive from it, and what we should take from this commemoration. Different people have looked at this event in different ways at different times, reminding us that history is in part a conversation between past and present, and that in deciding how we approach this event we say something about ourselves.
The American Presidency
Presidents often view the challenges they face and the decisions they make in light of how their predecessors confronted similar situations. Many presidents stand in the shadow of their predecessors: others seek out comparisons. What can historical experience tell us about how presidents wrestle with the issues of the day? Do we harbor unrealistic expectations of presidential power? Have we contributed to making the presidency an office where we confuse personality with character and mistake popularity for political skill?
