In April of 1865, Lincoln proposed offering the vote to black soldiers who had served in the Union Army. It would turn out to be one of his final speeches: it's thought that this proposal is part of the reason Booth accelerated his plans to assassinate the president. This year, we will explore the pressing issues around voting rights as our theme for the fifth annual Lincoln Ideas Forum. Join us as we bring together experts, scholars, and the public in an exploration of the historic contexts of citizenship, voting rights, and the Constitution, alongside the contemporary repercussions of debates over who gets elective franchise.
This program is presented in partnership with the Constitutional Sources Project.
This year's speakers (in sequence):
* Erin Carlson Mast, CEO & Executive Director, President Lincoln's Cottage
* Julie Silverbrook, The Constitutional Sources Project
* Lillian Cunningham, The Washington Post (Moderator)
* Jason Torchinsky, Holtzman Vogel Josefiak Torchinsky PLLC, "The Breakdown of Political Party Institutional Loyalty and Its Impact on the Political Discourse"
* Brianne Gorod, Constitutional Accountability Center, "Addressing Voter Suppression Using the Constitution's Text, History, and Values"
* Robert Tsai, American University, "How the First Amendment Helps Protect the Right to Vote"
* Elaine Weiss, Author, "The Woman's Vote: Did It Ever Exist?"
Robert Tsai, American University
Robert L. Tsai is Professor of Law at American University and a prize-winning essayist in constitutional law and history. Though he was born in Taiwan, he has always considered America his home. In fact, one of the proudest moments of his life was the day he was sworn in as a U.S. citizen. Tsai’s research spans constitutional law, legal history, democratic theory, American political culture, social movements, criminal procedure, presidential leadership, and radical constitutionalism. He has written about the legal obstacles ...More...
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